The Betrayer's Vengeance
by JettMann
Summary: The wheels of fate turn. Night is falling on the final day, and soon Ichigo and those who stand beside him turn their swords on the great Seireitei and all within it. But, many tales are held in that final night; the deep breath before the killing plunge
1. Remember

"Captain Kuchiki, Captain Kuchiki!" Taska's frantic voice echoed through the halls as she burst into the captain's lounge. Immediately dropping to her knees she placed her head on the ground, desperately trying to catch her breath as she waited for her leader's response. Bursting in was a major breach of protocol, not to mention rude. Both of which the captain frowned upon. After several moments, a calm voice spoke up from the desk. "Speak, Taska."

"Captain Abarai called for an immediate meeting with him! He wants to see you as soon as possible."

"I have not yet finished my report."

"But, captain, it has to do with… him!"

The sound of the pen scratching stopped. Captain Kuchiki turned and looked at the lieutenant through strands of black hair, narrowed eyes that bore that tiny hint of anxiety. The hint that appeared only whe the captain was honestly shocked. Kuchiki Rukia stood, her white captain's garb flowing behind as she marched out the door, her spirit pressure increasing almost by reflex as she passed her lieutenant. "Ichigo." The word sounded more like a curse than a name.

"I don't know, ma'am. Members of the 11th division gave report of something very important, something that needs your immediate attention. Something happened at the ruins of Karakura, and it doesn't sound good."

"Damn it! This can't be happening now, not with a new 1st division captain being selected! As always that fool has shown himself to bear the worst timing imaginable."

"What does this mean, captain?"

"I don't know, but if it has anything to do with Karakura you can be sure the name Kurosaki is spelled all over it. Damn that boy."

"But, the war is over!"

"The war is never over, not as long as he draws breath. He swore it himself." Rukia closed her eyes, painful memories returning by simple mention of his name.

* * *

"Stop this! You have to stop!" Rukia shouted against the roar of the storm; tears streaming down her face and mixing with the rain as she kneeled among the bodies of dozens of dead shinigami. In the distance, the blood-drenched figure of a tall man stood over his last kill. He pulled his sword from his victim's chest, his eyes turning to regard Rukia with darkness she couldn't even imagine. There was rage there, a fury so alien it did not even seem possible. His spiritual power alone was suffocating her, and now that he had her in his gaze her very bones refused to move. "Go ahead and stay there, Rukia. Cower there and cry. Move, and you'll join the dead."

"This isn't you! The Ichigo I know wouldn't do this!"

"The Ichigo you know?! The Ichigo you know would never stand by and watch every person he ever loved get slaughtered! The Ichigo you know would have fought! He wouldn't have allowed his own allies to trick him, than stab him in the back! The Ichigo you know is DEAD! I swear, now and forever, I will make all of soul society pay dearly for this. I will make you _pay._" The memory went dark with the swing of that black, bloody sword. She still had the scar from that wound. It had taken Rukia nearly a year and a half to recover from the injuries she'd received in that battle. After that day Ichigo had vanished, hidden away behind the walls soul society had erected to cage Hueco Mundo and all within it. Twenty-five years those walls had held everything within that desolate land at bay, and now talk of those walls being breached. The timing definitely could not be worse.

Taska followed after her captain, trying her best to keep up despite the woman's swift stride. Even though she was a head and shoulders taller than her superior, the woman seemed to always be so quick, even while walking. It was the worst when she was upset, or deep in thought. Captain Kuchiki lost herself so easily that she never noticed those around her. Approaching 11th division's headquarters, Rukia slowed her pace a moment before coming to a halt. This was most often a place where men were bashing each other silly, shouts and cries and whooping laughter always echoed from its walls. Right now, it was eerily quiet. "Something _has_ happened. Captain, we should hurry." Taska ran ahead, but for a few more moments Rukia remained motionless. She couldn't help but think back, when a vice-captain's badge was fitted to her arm instead of a captain's cloak on her shoulders.

"Come on, Rukia! Stop being so slow!" She could still remember his voice, that stupid boyish voice.

"Ichigo, slow down! You're too fast!"

"Lieutenant Kuchiki, you will obey your captain and hurry along, there is drinking to be done here! Shunsui! Break out the cups, old man!"

5th division captain, Kurosaki Ichigo. How that squad was a scourge to soul society, all its captains seemed to turn against the very system they had sworn to protect. Sosuke Aizen, and now Ichigo. "How fates plays its games. How I hate it for that."

"Captain Kuchiki! Are you coming?" With a single step Rukia was already at the door to the meeting hall, once again leaving Taska to catch up. Once inside, she could see the halls were empty. All the doors were shut, and no sound but the footsteps from Rukia herself echoed through it. She walked faster, marching towards the corner at the hall's end and entrance to the meeting area. With a forceful hand Rukia pushed the doors open and walked inside. A small team of 4th division members were seeing to someone lying on his back in the center of the room. Rukia could not see who, but there was blood, lot's of it. "What has happened? Who has been attacked?"

"My lieutenant. The rest of his team was massacred. Grand way to start a week, hmm." A voice spoke up from the wall, the cloak of a captain set upon broad shoulders as the red haired man stared out a window.

"Renji, you called me with word that something happened, possibly having to do with Kurosaki. What do you know? Has Hueco Mundo reopened?" Captain Abarai moved away from the window and strode towards the wounded man, his face was set in a stoic expression that hid frustration and anger. Rukia could always read him, even when he was like this. Waving a number of the healers away, he kneeled and looked down at the patient. "All I know is what he brought back with him, and what he didn't bring back. Madarame has been my lieutenant ever since Captain Zaraki vanished. I've never seen him lose a fight when it truly mattered."

"Renji, why did you call me here?"

"Take a look for yourself." He tossed something into the air, which Rukia snatched with a quick hand. Looking down at the item, Rukia's eyes widened. In her hand was a substitute soul reaper's badge with a hole through it, one that would fit a sword perfectly. Her hand shook slightly as she saw the little hang of beads on the side, she recognized this badge. "This was Ichigo's. You said something else, he didn't return with something."

"His zanpakutou. It's gone."

"Gone?"

"He hasn't regained consciousness, so I can't ask him what happened. It isn't like we can just… Rukia? Where did she go? Rukia, come back! Where'd she go?" Taska just shook her head with a shrug. "She's always running away. Rukia! You're her lieutenant, how can you not... Errgh. Follow me!"

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to stop her before she does something stupid. Rukia! Damn it."

* * *

The gate stood before her, as tall and ominous as it always seemed to be. She'd been through it countless times, and still it held that flicker of awe to her eye every time she saw it. The doors were opening slowly, too slowly. Impatience was already setting in, even though she'd only been there a few moments. It had taken three flash steps just to reach it, which meant she had little time to lose before a certain red-haired man would follow. "Rukia, stop!" Too late.

Renji landed hard and almost slid as he stood in front of his fellow captain. "What do you think you're doing?"

"He is giving me a message, only I would have recognized that badge. Only I would have known it was by his sword that hole in it could have been made. Nobody else in soul society knows him like I do!"

"And he'll kill you the next time you two lay eyes on each other! The last time we encountered Kurosaki it took three captains, including your own brother, just to push him back into Hueco Mundo! Captain Hitsugaya DIED forcing him back! If he, or any of his are still there you won't come back like Madarame, you'll come back in a bag, or several! Don't be a fool!"

"Get out of my way, Renji. Don't make me push you out of the way."

"If we fight over this, you'll lose."

"Never test a woman's resolve. Taska!" Rukia turned to regard her lieutenant who had been standing back a ways, catching her breath from the leaps to reach the gate. "Do not follow."

"(Huff) Sorry ma'am, I can't do that. Someone has to watch your back."

"That's why I'm here." Renji said, though his words more sounded like a complaint than a reassurance. "Go and tell the other lieutenants what's going on. I'm sure their captains will love this."

"You didn't tell the others?" Rukia asked as she moved past him towards the open gate.

"I thought I should tell you first, and I can see what a great idea that was… Rukia! Damn it, Rukia! Urrgh, that woman… Fine. Vice-Captain Shinataya, I believe you have your orders. If I end up dead on this, make sure to remind my division to file a formal complaint with 13th squad. And I want it in writing! Rukia wait for me! Damn it, woman!" And they were gone.


	2. Emergence

**As before, I will post constant updates on my progress and current situation (mostly whether or not I'm able to keep my internet) on my main profile. So far I've been writing and editing these new chapters that you see, then immediately posting them (which takes in and around four to five hours) on one computer, in one sitting Maybe that will change, but likely it will just get harder in the coming weeks for me to do so. Once I get a stable internet hookup (as in, I return to America) I'll post all the reduxed chapters of this story. Once again, thanks for the support.**

* * *

The air held no wind, no sound. It was so quiet; the eerie feel of the whole area seemed only to intensify that emptiness. Much of what remained before the gate were fallen trees, rubble, and layers upon layers of ruined buildings. Some structures still clung to existence, looking as if they were standing by will alone. As Rukia emerged she gazed at this spectacle, setting her feet solidly in what had once been her home in the human world. Now, only desolation remained. "Rukia!" Renji called as he jumped from the gate and took a firm grip on his peer's shoulder. "Quit that!"

"What?"

"Running around and leaving by yourself! It's annoying!"

"Would you please lower your voice, we're in a graveyard." With a jerk Rukia freed herself and strode off down the rubble-filled street. Burn holes and scorch marks from kido attacks were still present in the concrete, on the trees, everywhere. There were things that should they have still stood Rukia may have recognized. It made her immediately wish she had rethought her decision to investigate personally. This land was dead, and so was everything in it. Then again, there was something stronger holding her there. There was purpose.

Renji walked a few paces behind, keeping a sharp eye out to the surroundings. Half of his attention was searching hard for his men, the other half vigilant for enemies. Despite the emptiness the ruins seemed to hold, there was a spirit energy that didn't seem to belong enshrouding the whole area. Possibly even the whole city. "Rukia, do you sense that? Something is here."

"Could be more than just 'something.' I haven't seen a single sign of any 11th division… anywhere."

"They could **be** anywhere. I have the distinct impression a damn **battle** was waged here, not just some tussle with hollows."

"And this impression stems from?"

"That hole at your feet, it's still warm. It's simmering." Rukia looked down, then knelt and placed a hand on the perfectly circular burn that dug into the ground. It wasn't just warm, it was hot. But, a thought came to mind. "This isn't kido; it's too focused, too direct."

"11th division makes it a habit not to use magic."

"Excluding yourself, of course."

"What I do is my business. So, what are you thinking?"

"Cero blast, has to be. I've never seen one so small though."

"You think they're still here?" Renji's hand moved to the hilt of his sword as he gave his surroundings a cautious glance.

"I don't know. I feel something very strange, don't you?"

"Then it isn't just paranoia on my part. Perhaps we should leave, division captains or not we aren't allowed here. We're breaking the rules just by coming to the human world, doubly so by coming to this particular place."

"Since when were you worried about rules? I have to know if Ichigo was here. I have to know if he's come back." Renji could only rub his forehead and sigh, her stubbornness knew no bounds. When he opened his eyes she was already moving away, heading towards the city center. "Wait until your brother hears about this. Our luck would have it that he already does." He growled under his breath as he took off after her. She'd been a captain over twenty years and yet she never changed the way she acted, not since the war. Rukia had always been in her brother's shadow, until Karakura that is… now they never even spoke. Like something had happened between them that opened a rift no bridge could span

The strange feeling in the air seemed to grow stronger the farther in they walked. There was barely any evidence that anything had happened there recently, not a body nor hint of shinigami presence. It was as if they had all simply vanished into thin air, no clothing, no blood, nothing. "I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this, Rukia. We shouldn't be here."

"Stop whining. I can't leave until I know. If you want to go back so badly than just-" she stopped, her hand immediately gripping the hilt of her sword. Renji mirrored the action, and they looked this way and that, ready for a pin drop to set off their battle instincts. The strange pressure in the air had suddenly intensified… considerably. Focusing more and more into a single point until it began to take form. The two captains had their swords out in a moment, ready for anything as the spirit energy continued to condense more and more, generating a form seemingly made from pure light. After this brilliant display the light faded away, and there stood a person. Renji's hands tightened on his hilt and he grimaced. "Arrancar!" He almost charged when Rukia's hand held him back. "What are you doing?"

"Don't move."

"Why? That's our enemy, let me go!"

"She's been watching us this whole time. She is obviously not here to fight."

"What do you mean, she just appeared out of-" before he could finish a maw-like garganta portal opened behind the arrancar and she stepped into it. The captains just watched as it closed, the arrancar within suddenly showed a manic grin. The sneer was the last thing they saw as the portal closed completely. "We may be in more trouble than we thought, Renji."

"What was your first clue?"

* * *

The echo of light footsteps flowed over the high walls of the fortress. The massive white hall was quiet as ever as a slender woman made her way to the other side. It was ominously empty but for her. She stopped and placed a hand against the massive doors that opened to the throne room, creating a slight enough gap to fit through.. Nelliel stepped through the small opening it gave her and closed it behind her as she moved into the equally expansive area. The emptiness of the place was just as overbearing here as it was in the central hall. "Ichigo? Are you here?"

"Yes." The voice came from the window, and Nelliel regarded the man as he sat in the glassless opening staring out at the world below. She moved to the line of holes in the stone, looking out the window next to his. Ichigo just held his gaze to the outside, fingering the small bottle in his hands. "Are you drunk again, Ichigo?"

"No, but I was considering it. You want some?"

"No." Looking at his face Nelliel saw a distant expression, forlorn to its core. His black and yellow eyes as frightening as there were held a look that seemed almost near tears, though none showed themselves. "Are you alright?"

"Just… thinking. Remembering."

"You know bad memories like that only bring more pain. Sadness only brings more sadness."

"Nell… You really think you're going to cheer me up with talk like that?" Ichigo flinched as he felt arms cross his shoulders. She held his head and drew it close to her, hugging him against her chest with soft hands. He closed his eyes, she was warm. She always did make him feel better. "Stop trying to relive the past, Ichigo. I'm alive, I'm here. I won't leave you."

"I know. I've known that a long time. It is just… sometimes I wish I'd died… just to be with the others, wherever they are. Sometimes I want to end it all. Then I wake up and find that I'm still here, just me... That all I have are nightmares."

"I know you're lonely, I know you're hurting, but wanting to die isn't going to serve any purpose. We need you, more than you even realize. I need you, definitely more than you realize."

Ichigo stood up slowly and Nelliel transferred her arms to around his back, holding him closely. A sudden pounding on the doors to the throne room shattered the peace that had filled the room. "What?" Ichigo yelled, growling at the interruption. Strands of glowing light sifted through the cracks between and under the doors until it took form again. "Hinimara, you're back."

"Yes, Lord Kurosaki."

"Don't call me that."

"We were successful. A doorway has been made through the prison soul society put around us."

"You made it through? I'm impressed, it only took half a lifetime. So, I can finally go back home."

"Noel and I scouted the area. We found these." Tossing something onto the ground, Ichigo looked down and stared at an 11th division vice-captain badge. "They were already there." Nelliel slipped a hand into Ichigo's and held it tightly before he could clench a fist. He was grinding his teeth so hard she could feel him shake. "Ichigo?"

"They are there, desecrating my home even after they reduced it to dust? After all we did for them, they still trample our deeds and memories as if they were trash. Those arrogant bastards."

"We killed them, left an example still breathing. Right before I returned, I saw two captain level shinigami start looking around. I think they were searching for their missing men. As if I were to leave anything to find."

"Two captains… still no respect at all. Maybe I'll just carve it back into their minds."

"Ichigo! Ichigo stop!" Nelliel held him back, and he glanced at her with a stern face. "Let me go, I'll deal with this."

"No. This is something I have to do. It was my home. I will not stand for shinigami disgracing my birthplace with their presence. Hinimara!"

"Yes!" She was grinning widely, looking just like the espada she once served under.

"Go get Grimmjow." Ichigo's voice was little more than a growl now as he pulled both the massive doors to the room open, nearly ripping them from the walls as he did so. Nelliel just stood back and watched him go. He would not hear reason when like this, so engulfed in anger that he wouldn't even show it outwardly. If he was taking the blue-haired beast then he meant for a fight. "As if he needed that barbarian." Taking hold of the bottle Ichigo had left behind Nelliel pulled off the cork and took a small sip. "Don't lose yourself again, please." She whispered, taking another sip as she stared out at the permanent night. "Come back safe."

* * *

"I did not think you to be this foolish."

"Stay out of my business."

"Nor so disrespectful."

"You lost any deserving of respect a long time ago." Rukia just kept her hard gaze straight into his eyes. Her brother Byakuya had come along with his lieutenant, an odd man whose name escaped her. He had dragged Taska along, and she now stood by her captain with crossed arms. The standoff had already lasted several minutes, neither Kuchiki giving in to the other. Renji on the other hand was staying well out of the crossfire from either of them. He had instead taken up a point a ways off on a building. He watched them both, marveling at how despite both were at the verge of blows they remained totally calm. "Kuchikis, always so high and mighty."

Byakuya was obviously growing angry, but Rukia remained determined. "I came here for a reason. People died here, and not just in the past. An entire shinigami squad wiped out, and the appearance of an arrancar which had abilities I have never seen before. Tell me again that it is not worth the attention of a captain to investigate the possibility of Hueco Mundo's return."

"You simply came to see Kurosaki again. Try to reason with him again. You are too attached, too emotional for that man. You are too fed into your own ideals to think clearly. Not everyone can be, or is worth being saved."

"You can no longer decide my life for me, either. That or anyone else's. I have not given up. Should it be required of me, I will kill him myself. Finish what I started so long ago with the same sword that began his road. But, as I said, I have not given up just yet."

"Stubborn girl. Our laws do not exempt captains, so do not think that this will go unpunished."

"I cannot wait for my next execution. Now if you will excuse me, there are still things to be done here." A rumble drifted through the air as the ground began to shake. All four shinigami grasped their swords and looked around, trying to find the source. Their attention was taken as the rooftop where Renji had been as the whole building erupted in dust and smoke with a deafening explosion. The captain hit the ground and slid for a moment, holding his side with a free hand as blood dripped from a wound. "Renji!"

"Look out!" Leaping back Renji barely avoided a blue streak that crushed a fist into the spot he had been not half a second before. Swords drawn the shinigami waited, though for a few moments it seemed nothing was going to emerge. As the dust began to settle three figures approached, silhouettes in the fog. One stepped forward, maniacal sneer and murderous eyes. That same face, the same man. Rukia could not help herself but to tremble slightly. She had to force herself not to place a hand over her chest where that arrancar had nearly torn her heart from her body. "Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. That's an espada."

Before anyone could even make a move a sudden and oppressive spiritual pressure blanketed everything. Rukia felt like her lungs were about to constrict, her heart ready to burst. Though she stood strong, she saw Taska fall to her knees, battling to simply take a breath. As the dust finally settled, the center figure was revealed. His very presence was overwhelming as he strode forward till it was a mere ten paces from him to the shinigami. It was his spiritual pressure alone that was threatening to crush them all. Through the fierce storm of spirit energy, he looked at one among all of them and sneered. "Hello, Rukia. Long time no see."

"Ichigo."


	3. Sending a Message

**As before I am updating any relevant updates to my rewrite on my profile. This chapter receiving a quick edit thanks to a review I recently received, giving me a better idea of what I was looking for. As always, especially in this case, reader feedback is most welcome**.

* * *

"Roar, Zabimaru!" Renji's blade surged forward straight at the center figure, straight at the traitor. Ichigo didn't even move as the blade closed in, almost within arm's reach now. A flash of sparks and the extended sword shuddered is it stopped. Standing in front of Ichigo was the female arrancar, the very same one that they'd seen before. She had stood in the way and blocked the strike with her raised forearm, a tiny stream of blood trickled from where it had struck. "You will not harm Lord Kurosaki."

"Lord Kurosaki? You mean…" Renji looked confused, but it quickly shifted back to determination as he readied his released blade once more.

"I've told you not to call me that, Hinimara. It's annoy-"

"Kurosaki!" Byakuya actually raised his voice, and every shinigami around him looked with shock. He never raised his voice. "You traitorous filth, you dare crawl from your cage?"

"Traitorous? Cage? I'm surprised, that's probably the harshest thing I've ever heard you call me. I'm also surprised you were stupid enough to bring your lackeys. This is not a fight for kids."

"We're not here to fight, Ichigo!"

"Ah, Rukia. Is that a captain's robe I see there? I'm so proud of my former lieutenant."

"Your… former lieutenant…" She shook the memory away and held her stance, sword at the ready.

"Nostalgic, is it not? This was the last place we saw each other, what a coincidence we would meet here again. Granted, the circumstances are somewhat different." The captains tensed as Ichigo patted the long hilt of his black blade. As he watched, Byakuya's eyes grew steadily wider as he recognized it. "Impossible… that is his bankai!"

"Of course it is. Can't you see the wonderful changes that Hueco Mundo has given me? Quite an interesting place when you aren't there to kill everyone."

"You look like an arrancar." Renji growled. Both the warriors on Ichigo's sides simply looked at him then began to laugh.

"Like an arrancar?! Hah!" Grimmjow cackled as he took hold of his own sword, but left it tucked in his sash. "If he were like an arrancar he'd be boasting a number like mine!" Pulling back the sleeve of his right arm, Grimmjow sneered as the huge number "2" was shown tattooed onto the back of his forearm. "You think we'd let just anybody boss us around?!" The shinigami just stared at this as Grimmjow stepped forward to take the place beside his partner. The two of them between the shinigami and Ichigo.

Rukia looked to her side and saw Taska slowly recovering from the crushing force of spirit pressure. This was not a good place for the vice captains. These were enemies far beyond their ability to fight. She had to stall… somehow. She recognized the expression on Ichigo's face. Despite the mask fragments that had formed, the black and yellow eyes, she could still read that face. It was the same face she'd known so long, the one he had made all those years ago right before he and her brother had clashed after she'd been saved from execution. He was about to strike, and there was nothing that could stop him if he did. "We're not here to fight."

Renji and Byakuya both shot a glance to Rukia as she lowered her sword. Taking a step forward, she looked Ichigo in the eye and waited a moment. "Rukia, what are you-" Renji was silenced by a raise of her hand.

"What do you want here, Ichigo? Why have you come back?"

"Why? Why have I come back? Are you really that dense, really that naïve? Perhaps I should refresh your memory." Ichigo pressed past the arrancar, now an arm's length away from Rukia as he lifted a hand. A sudden rush of wind blew across them as Byakuya appeared beside Ichigo, his sword swinging straight at the throat.

All he saw was a flash of blue and a manic grin as Grimmjow slammed a foot right into Byakuya's chest. The captain, simply said, went flying. "Hinimara, Grimmjow… privacy please." Shoving his hands into his pockets Grimmjow just cackled and vanished in a flash step. Before Rukia could move Ichigo grabbed her wrist and pulled her in close. Her face was a foot from his; all she could see were black eyes. "This is why." Opening his other hand, Ichigo held something. Rukia almost couldn't break from his unblinking stare. For that moment it felt as if she had simply been lost in them. The emptiness, the pain. Bringing herself to look her heart practically stopped. In his hand was a tiny piece of jewelry, a blue snowflake. "That's... no..."

"I'm glad you recognize it. You see, I had the honor of retrieving this from a dead body. I think who can guess whose body it was."

"Inoue-"

"Orihime!" Ichigo's hand was suddenly gripping the fabric around her neck and her feet left the ground. "Funny thing while you're off fighting a war and everything you fought to protect gets wasted by your own ALLIES! The people you TRUSTED!" He pulled her just a tiny bit closer. "The people you relied on."

"The war is over, Ichigo." Her voice held no fear, despite the abundance Rukia actually felt.

"The war ended because you hid from it. Soul Society hid from it. They were afraid. Afraid of me."

"Of what you were becoming… look at yourself! You're becoming a hollow!"

"If necessary." Rukia was released and she pulled back quickly, rubbing the sore joint of her wrist where he'd held her in an iron grip. The sound of fighting still loomed, flashes of steel and showers of sparks appearing all through the air. She had to fight an urge to help, but it would be futile with Ichigo so near. "I have a message for all Soul Society. You're part of it."

"Wha-"

"I owe you almost everything. But, then again, I could blame you just as easily. I'll decide later."

"Decide later?" She didn't even see the blow; all Rukia knew is that the force of it across her face spun her like a top. Her back was facing Ichigo as her vision warped in and out of semi-consciousness. Byakuya was fighting viciously with Grimmjow, the latter of whom had not even drawn his sword. There was Taska too, running as though she were moving in slow motion. "As with the last one I sent, half of this message is taking something away. Taking something from you, taking something from Soul Society, all in one swift strike. The other half is the word those who live will send."

"Taska, stay back!" Rukia managed to shout as she watched a black surge rip through the air. The dark stream landed at its mark and carved through Rukia's lieutenant as if she were made of paper. Her arm and shoulder shorn away as she fell forward towards the ground. "Taska!" The song of a blade in the air, Zangetsu was singing as it drove down towards her. Ichigo switched hold of the blade, aiming it back and drove it straight and true. It pierced into Rukia's chest and dug into the ground in one fluid motion. All she could do was look down at the black metal, trying to find the breath that simply wasn't there.

There was Renji and he was screaming her name. The arrancar he battled crushed her fist into his side and blood dripped from his mouth. Byakuya bled also, his shikai ablaze as he tried to force his way through the espada only to be batted away again. They were so strong. Her eyes drifted back to Taska as darkness filled her mind. Fight as she could, sleep was taking Rukia away. Lying face down, bleeding, Taska fought to drag herself closer to her captain. Trying to get there, despite almost being cut in two. "Ta…ska." Rukia's mouth was full of blood but the broken word found their way out.

"Huh, she's still alive. I'll be right back." The feeling of the sword being wrenched from her was worse than it piercing her in the first place. Rukia was pulled forward with it, falling to a hand as she gasped. Blood poured from the wound, dripped from her mouth and from her head where she'd been struck, no wonder she was so tired. "Ichigo… don't… do it." She wheezed as she watched him push Taska onto her back with a foot. A huge blaze of light erupted from the other battle, turning Ichigo to a black silhouette against the blinding flash. She saw the outline raise his sword as the final ounce of her strength left her and she fell facedown into the dirt and ash. "Don't… do… it."

* * *

"Get the hell out of the way! Go help with the other wounded!" One of the many medics roared as the whole healing house was in a rush. Each patient had at least a team of them working as hard and as fast as they could. Even Captain Unohana was busy with a patient. As the glow from her hands subsided, she sat back and nodded to her charge. "You will live." Renji just stared at the ceiling, the bloody holes in his chest and arms were indeed healing, slowly but surely. "The others?"

"Captain Kuchiki's wounds were most severe, but he is recovering. His lieutenant… he succumbed to his wounds last night."

"How long have I been out?"

"A day. May I ask, why did only three return? I heard that Captain Kuchiki Rukia and her lieutenant were also with you. What happened?"

"They…" Renji winced, though from pain or from memory Unohana did not know. She placed a hand on his shoulder as he settled down again. "They're gone. They didn't make it. Kurosaki killed them both. She didn't even fight back. She just let him do it."

"Captain Abarai, you must rest. Lie still, and try to sleep."

"Sleep? No, I don't think I'll ever sleep again. This is all my fault. All of it. I'm the reason she's dead." Renji turned his head away and stared out the window. "I shouldn't have let her go. Shouldn't have told her." A few moments later he was alone again in the room. He felt the wounds that arrancar had inflicted, not able to find it in him to compare that pain to the feeling of loss. He had watched Kurosaki Ichigo, the very person who once placed his life on the line for Rukia, run his sword straight through her. "Why didn't you fight back? Why?"

It was several hours later that Renji finally donned his clothing, captain's robe, and made his way out of 4th division's care. Not even Captain Unohana tried to make him remain as she so often did with her patients. Renji saw another white robe moving across the courtyard, Captain Kuchiki also insisted on leaving no doubt. Despite both still bearing wounds they left, and for the first time in years they were side by side. Their walk was in total silence, not even letting their breath make a sound. They knew where they were going, and so they went. The meeting hall of captains, and a well due report. The loss of a single day could mean a difference, and there was no time to lose.

* * *

"We confirmed two details in the engagement that are beyond shadow of disbelief." Byakuya spoke, his voice as steely as always. Renji found it hard to think that he had heard the man shout. Even now he wondered whether or not he had simply imagined it. "The first is the traitor, Kurosaki, has aligned himself with the espada just as the traitor Aizen did. It is even possible he has set himself into a position of leadership, as the two arrancar that followed him seemed subservient to his wishes. One of whom we confirmed as an espada who bore the number two." Byakuya held his hand up with two fingers raised signifying the number. "The other detail is Kurosaki has grown exponentially in strength as far as I was able to discern. He took the life of a vice captain and the 13th division captain. He also has locked his zanpakutou in its bankai state, just as it once was sealing in the form of its shikai."

The other captains in the room remained silent as they contemplated this. Already two were off on missions, and now word that a third had been slain. All in the time that a new 1st division captain was to be selected. The words of Kuchiki Rukia echoed in all their minds, the timing could not be worse. "Captain Abarai. You were the only one, as you stated, who saw the final fate of 13th division captain Kuchiki Rukia."

"Yes."

"Report."

"There is little to report. As Kurosaki had his arrancar engage myself and Captain Kuchiki, he spoke for a few moments with her. The reason for this or what they spoke of I don't know. When her vice captain attempted to assist she was cut down by a getsuga from his zanpakutou. He then turned his blade against Rukia. That's all I saw." Unlike Byakuya, Renji's voice was hard, rough. He had trouble fighting through himself to issue the proper report. "When the enemy finally retreated, the bodies were missing. We can only assume they were taken back to Hueco Mundo."

"You were able to route the enemy?"

"No, they simply fell back. As far as we know now, a whole team of the 11th division, lieutenant of 6th division, and the two commanding officers of 13th division have been killed. Myself, Captain Kuchiki, and my vice captain have all been substantially injured. All in this time, we have only seen two arrancar, and the traitor."

"What are you saying, Captain Abarai?" The harsh voice brought everyone's attention to the interjector. Soi Fong stepped forward, regarding 11th division's commander with a skeptical glare. "I'm saying that we have no idea how many there are, how strong the leaders are, and just how far they are willing to go. In truth, we essentially know nothing other than they mean us harm. That in a great degree."

With this on the floor the discussion of action was the chief topic for the other captains, Renji remained quiet throughout the remainder of the emergency meeting. Even after most of the captains had gone, he remained fixed in position. All he could see was Rukia's face, blood dripping from her lips and forehead as the one person she had always depended on stole her life. Ended it like it was nothing. He felt warmth from his hands and looked down; he'd dug his nails into his palms so hard that he'd drawn blood. "Is she really gone?"  
"Kira?"

"Rukia. She's really gone."

"… I know what I saw." Renji marched out, leaving Captain Izuru to be alone in the meeting hall. He stopped at the door with a hand steadied against the frame, not daring to look back. A single tear was trying to form itself, but he refused to let it. He was too angry to be sad. "She's gone. But, I know who killed her."

"Renji?"

"Kurosaki has always beaten me, always been the victor in every fight. But this time… things are different. Now it's personal. Now it's revenge." He was gone. Kira just sighed and looked at the ground, the same floor his gaze had been almost the whole time. He never could find the right words in such situations. The only reason he even wore the captain's robe was for his fighting ability, for his zanpakutou's power. But, one phrase he'd heard came to mind. "That's the thing about revenge. Everyone just ends up dead."


	4. Ultimatum

The fortress halls, it was as silent as always. Sana just took in the view of the gigantic interior. She had not even set foot within the exterior walls for years. Not since her awakening. "Is something... something wrong?" Sana just shook her head at the smaller arrancar. "No, just wondering why the hell we were told to come back here after so many years. Not like Ichigo to call all of us at once."

"Unless…" The other arrancar studdered, but Sana immediately picked up where she stopped.

"Unless he's found a way out of Hueco Mundo like he promised only about twenty years ago."

"Do you think…"

"No, I wouldn't think he'd be stupid enough to actually give away that advantage just yet. Secrecy is always a good start to these sorts of things."

"But what if... I mean if he…"

"If he actually went to the human world and made a fool of his drunken self by giving away our secret? I'm sure we can expect action much sooner than what would be comfortable."

"I see." Sana just patted her diminutive fraccion on the head and smiled. The child-like arrancar was always so undecided on everything, half the time the espada had to think for the both of them. As they walked a fact about her surroundings that always annoyed Sana reared its head yet again. Moving through the fortress was always a chore just for the sheer size of the place. The builder had made it so many times bigger on the inside than the outside that getting lost was the easiest thing in the world to do. Thankfully Sana was well versed in the ways of the maze-like fortress, and finding her way was simple, if time-consuming.

The signs of activity grew more and more the closer to her destination Sana walked. Usually the halls of the fortress were empty, a silent memorial in a way, but now there were arrancar here and there, only a few but more appeared the closer they came to the throne room. All shapes and sizes had gathered, and that was only the beginning. Soon the halls would be full. "Are the… the others…"

"I'm sure we're the last to arrive of the Mas Espada."

"So… so that means…"

"I'm quite sure Shin and Shun are here. Honestly Juna you need to learn to voice yourself a little better."

"I try…"

"Get a little confidence! It isn't like you have anyone breathing down your neck." Sana stopped, her fraccion mirroring her as they stared at the huge doors ahead. The throne room, the meeting hall of the espada who were likely all already arrived. The last time Sana had been in that room was during the victory over the Night Lords, last followers of Aizen. The memory of Ichigo and the now primero espada defeating those arrancar was always an inspiration for the others. Afterwards, despite an urging by many of his followers Ichigo refused to ascend to the throne as the new ruler. He stood only as a source of leadership when necessary, a juggernaut at all other times.

The pillars threw long shadows along the hall, and Sana could see many eyes watching her from the darkness. The other fraccion were there as well, awaiting their espada masters. "Go find your friends, Juna; it's time for the grown-ups to talk." The little arrancar bowed low and bounced off, joining a pair by one row of pillars. The three of them promptly disappeared. Now all that was left was to join the others. Sana just ran a hand through her long black hair, rubbing the three diamond-shaped shards of her mask that covered the front of her forehead.

As the doors were closed behind her Sana just stared. She was the very last of any of them to arrive. In fact the espada were already aligned in their positions on either side of the throne pedestal. Every set of eyes were on her with more than just a little scrutiny for her tardiness. "Sure, Juna doesn't have anyone breathing down her neck… they breathe down mine."

"You are late, Sana Suriasona, as always."

"Bite me number six, I arrive when it suits me." Then she saw it, Sana's eyes narrowed dangerously as she laid them on a single individual standing between the platforms on which the espada stood. Before the throne, between the espada, that was the place of judgment. Someone was either being tried, or there was a prisoner in the walls of Hueco Mundo. Not just any someone, and this twisted Sana's heart to anger. A woman bearing the white robe of a shinigami elite, a captain of the thirteen divisions. "What is this? Why is there a soul reaper here?!" A single swift step and Sana was standing before the captain with anger burning in her eyes. "This is why we were all summoned? A single shinigami? This is the big fuss?" Raising her arm a trio of curved blades snapped out from Sana's sleeve. "Let me do this fast so we can go on with our lives." The other espada murmured to themselves, but otherwise remained silent to this proposal. Then again, no one argued it either.

Sana kept her blades up, nearly pressing against the captain's throat. She noticed that blood had dried onto the woman's clothes from a wound on her chest. She had already been struck, run straight through even. Despite this, and the weapon ready to take her life, the captain just stared at Sana with a look of shock. "What? What are you looking at, soul reaper?!"

"Tatsuki." She spoke, barely a whisper.

"Tatsuki? Who is Tatsuki? My name is Sana. And don't talk to me!"

"Take your place, number four. Now."

"Let me do it, Nelliel. I can make it quick. We don't need a vote on this, just a steady hand is all it takes. One quick twist."

"Take your place. If she were to be killed she would be dead." With an exasperated sigh Sana retracted her zanpakutou and leapt up to the platform, taking her place as was instructed. A sharp hiss through the air brought all attention to a black streak that dug itself into the seat of the throne. Ichigo slid into the light of the throne as he dropped halfway down the steps, sitting where he was eye-to-eye level with Rukia. Zangetsu being imbedded in the throne signified only one thing, the espada were to listen and watch, nothing else. "Kuchiki Rukia, Captain of the Thirteenth Division of Soul Society. Welcome to Hueco Mundo." She did not speak, only kept her eyes fixed on Ichigo. "It would seem some of my friends here don't take too kindly to shinigami. Others are the reason you are still breathing, you can thank Nell for that counsel by the way… But in the final matter of things, your fate is ultimately up to me." She still refused to gratify him with a response, only the stoic expression of a woman without fear. But Ichigo knew better, she had plenty of fear. Any single one of the arrancar in that room could easily match her swordsmanship, her speed, and even her power as a shinigami. Some could crush her without a second thought, and then there were the few who could destroy her with a gesture. There was plenty to be afraid of in that room.

"I've had time to think, Rukia. Enough time for me to consider all my options. Time to plan just exactly how I am going to do it."

"Do what? You have a small army, and you stenciled some numbers on a few of them. I'm not impressed."

"Ah, the sweet arrogance of the ignorant. Just because you win a war by denying the enemy doesn't mean you can pull a victory out of your ass by round two! Perhaps you've forgotten my blue-haired friend but your surviving Grimmjow in every encounter you two have shared has been because of me. Perhaps we should see what would happen if I didn't interrupt?"

"Let me do it, boss! I'll repaint the walls with her!"

"No, she's mine! Let me finish her off!" Sana shot in front of Grimmjow, glaring menacingly at Rukia.

"Silence!" The roar from Nelliel brought everyone to a dead quiet. She dropped from the platform and stood between Ichigo and Rukia, her sword drawn and at the captain's neck. "We are not a rabble of squabbling children! We have joined our swords out of mutual respect and purpose! Do not go back to the way things were over the life of a single enemy!"

"Nell."

"We brought her here as a witness to everything we have become! If she is to die it will be by a decision afforded from Ichigo as well as the rest of us. That is the way things are!"

"Nell, please." Ichigo just grinned as she returned to her place, as did the others. Her zeal always did make him laugh. "You're right though. As I said I've had a long time to think about this. A long time to wonder just what I want the captains to think of me. Look around you, Rukia! Twelve espada, plus me. A number to match the Gotei Thirteen."

"Numbers don't match power."

"Power, huh? Power. Right... Hinimara!" The girl was next to him in a flash standing with her arms at her sides, hand just twitching to reach for the sword. Such speed, Rukia remembered sonido all too well. "Show her your mark." Hinimara nodded and turned around. Undoing the front of her clothes she let the top portion fall to hang by her sash, exposing her back for all to see. In between her shoulder blades was the black number of an espada. The number five. "Hinimara here is the fifth espada. If I recall she fought Renji for that swift little bout we exchanged back in Karakura. He barely survived. Captain of the 11th division and he got beaten silly by the fifth. Just so you know, we don't number each other like Aizen did. So you have no idea if Renji fought one of the weakest espada or not. So, be smart and stop trying to incite me to anger. You just might succeed."

Jumping down to the floor Ichigo raised his hands as he slowly turned, looking at all the espada shrouded in darkness upon their platforms. "Well, here is the ultimatum! The anniversary of Karakura's destruction is almost here. When it arrives, Soul Society will burn. That's my promise to you. You and everyone else responsible for what happened there."

"It was not our fault!" This brought every eye on her, Rukia's exclamation even seemed to surprise Ichigo. "The battle over Karakura was vicious, nothing could have been done! Your home's destruction was an accident!"

"An accident?" For a moment Ichigo's expression shifted to something unfamiliar, whether he wanted to laugh or fly into a blind rage Rukia could not tell. "How many arrancar did Soul Society fight over Karakura? How many hollows did the forces of the shinigami slay on the streets and on the roofs?" Rukia didn't answer, she was too busy being shocked as the fragments of mask on Ichigo's face almost seemed to grow. "You don't know? How could you not?"

"I wasn't there."

"You don't know because there **WERE NONE**!" A sudden release of spirit pressure nearly drove Rukia to her knees as she fought to remain steadfast. Ichigo's very aura was a weapon, his gaze was like a pair of spears aiming for her heart. "Do you know who Soul Society fought over Karakura? Inoue Orihime, Yasutora Chad, and whoever else lived that tried to avoid total annihilation! The only way they could get through Orihime's shield was to kill her, so they did. The only way to stop Chad was to kill him, so they did! Kido rained from the sky like lightning and fireballs and everyone else that even raised a finger against the soul reapers were burned away. Karakura wasn't destroyed in a battle, it was blown away in a massacre! It was all too much of a 'risk.' And to think I was once foolish enough to trust you, all of you." His voice had slowly calmed as he ranted, but Ichigo was far from settled as he pulled his glare away.

The pressure on Rukia's body subsided. She silently drew as much breath as she could, her lungs aching and her chest burning with her effort to remain standing. "I'm not going to kill you. You yourself said you weren't there, and I said that I owed you. So, I'm going to send you back so you can report to your precious Soul Society about what you've seen here."

"Why, when you said you could kill me now!"

"Why? I told you, several times. I have a debt to you. That is repaid by sparing your life, again. I intentionally missed your heart by an inch so your friends in Soul Society would rile. Thinking you were dead would drive enough of Soul Society into a frenzy that they'd actually come looking for blood. That, dear Rukia, is why."

"Looking for blood? You've killed so many, the latest being my own vice captain! What in the heavens makes you think Seireitei won't take you seriously?"

"Take me seriously... I thought I made my point when I beat Zaraki and your brother to an inch of their lives. I thought I made my point when tore a thousand of your soldiers to pieces in the blink of an eye. I don't care if you take me seriously or not. Now go, and take this with you." Rukia caught the sheathed sword Ichigo tossed and stared at it. Her zanpakutou. "That's it? You give me my sword and let me go?"

"I said I was going to send you back, never once did I say I was just letting you go. That would be too easy for a captain, especially one of your standing. Like you said, Seireitei isn't afraid of a few tattooed arrancar. Sana!"

"Yes!"

"Make sure I'm taken seriously."

"With pleasure." The arrancar cracked her knuckles and grinned. "Draw your sword, shinigami. You're going to need it."

* * *

With a quick flash step Ichigo was standing on the roof of one of the buildings overlooking the whole fortress. Two similar rushes and he was joined, an espada on either side. "I want us ready. No doubt they'll try and make a move before we are willing to make ours. Probably going to try and kill me if I remember certain tactics correctly. Nell, make sure the Mas Espada are ready for anything; that includes an all-out assault should the thirteen divisions try to make a move before my deadline."

"They already are. If we're attacked, we won't be off-guard."

"And make doubly sure that pink-haired idiot doesn't get carried away with making some new weapon or gadget. Last time was too close for comfort."

"Szayel won't be a problem."

"Good." Nelliel disappeared, leaving the other arrancar alone with Ichigo. The silence lasted a few moments as the wind began to pick up. Ichigo found it hard for that moment to shake the anger he had suppressed the whole time he'd been in the throne room. It was hard enough making himself out to be so high and mighty, now he was refraining from doing what every fiber of his being screamed to be done. Denying his hands the blood they so desperately desired. Finally, he found his tongue as he affirmed his companion with a glance. "I know you want her back; even more than me. Orihime was the one who gave you what matters most. Well, I can't bring her back. Not like I brought you back, not like Noel or Sana. I can't do that to her, even if I could find her spirit... All I can do is give you the same chance for vengeance I seek. Maybe it will give the both of us some peace knowing she was avenged."

"How? Do you even know who did it?"

"Even holding her body in my arms didn't give me the knowledge I needed for that. I have a sneaking suspicion of who is responsible though, random guess or not. After this has all begun we'll found out either way. Once we do I imagine you can handle things from there. I trust you to do that much, Ulquiorra." The arrancar simply kept his eyes to the horizon as Ichigo vanished. Now alone, he looked down at his palm and the tiny snowflake hairpin he carried at all times. The little trinket still glimmered when it caught the light from the moon, even after so long. It seemed even after so many years the strongest feelings his heart would give him was sadness and anger and pain. "Handle it. I will do more than handle it. That I promise."


	5. Painful Truth

**Finally got another chapter out, even if it may require a little tweeking (don't be surprised if a few little things change in this in the next few days), remember if any updates concerning this story come up I will post them on my profile, where I'm also starting some anime reviews for the hell of it. Yay.**

* * *

"The question we must decide on is whether or not Kurosaki poses an honest threat on not only us but on all Soul Society."

"The proof of his return alone cost us dearly to confirm, the loss of the thirteenth division's upper leadership most of all. He's shown us his bloodthirstiness has not lessened over the years."

"I say we strike, hit them before they can engage us on even ground!"

"Whether that is a wise decision or not, we cannot sit idly by and let the traitor gain ground in the human world. Or worse, find a way to penetrate the barriers into Soul Society itself."

"Is the chance of talks out of the question? Can we not at least try to resolve this peacefully?"

"Peacefully? Have you lost your mind?!" The loud sound of the Captain General's staff cracking against the wooden floor quieted the arguing captains. All attention was brought to the old man, and he held it as his strong voice filled the chambers. "This is achieving nothing. We cannot be split on this; we face a threat not easily comprehended and argument will only weaken us. Caution must be put before recklessness."

"That is the point I tried to make, sir. Kurosaki has proven himself to be powerful in the past, only his abilities were so unstable they could never be gauged. In truth we really have no idea how strong he truly is. To compound this we have no intelligence on their numbers, their spirit abilities, nothing. We are proposing a fight with an enemy we have no knowledge about!"

"Then what do you propose, Captain Kira?"

"Blindly attacking would only end in tragedy. We must know more about our enemy before any action should be taken."

"Is simple talk impossible? We could try to speak with him on even terms. Any bloodshed we can avoid is worth the risk."

"Negotiations were never a part of Kurosaki's contact with us, Hinamori. He wants a fight, that much he proved all too clearly. I second the motion we attack, I'll go alone if I have to. I'll pull the traitor's head from his shoulders with my bare hands."

"While the 11th division's tactics are often questionable in such matters, I must agree this. We should crush him before he can turn a rabble of Aizen's rejects against us." Several nods affirmed an agreement to Byakuya, his words rang true with what many were already thinking.

"But we would be walking right into a trap! If we send any force into Hueco Mundo it must be considered a suicide mission!"

"Then the cowards should stay behind." Soi Fon gave the man next to her a vicious glare. He looked as if he were about to retort when a booming yell filled the room. "That is enough!" Silence once again fell over the captains as Yamamoto grumbled under his breath. His patience had worn thin. "I will not have the lot of you bickering like children! If an attack on the traitor is to be formed, it will be by my order, and none other! I will not suffer rash decisions making us ripe for the slaughter!"

"But Captain Yamamoto, if we know nothing about the enemy we face how can we even…" A loud crash cut Izuru off before he could finish. A crash that sounded a good deal like something large being knocked over. A sound of shattering glass followed by a great deal of yelling was heard, and they were coming closer. The doors of the meeting hall burst open; standing at the threshold was a mess of torn clothes, bloody gashes, and bruises. The right arm limp and useless, and a visible blade impaled through one of the intruder's legs. "What are you doing?! You must go to the hospital!" One of the voices from outside demanded.

"Get off of me!" The bloody mess shook off one of the medics and limped into the meeting hall.

"Captain, please!"

"Go away!" With a rough push Rukia threw the last medic out and slammed the door. What remained of her white haori had been torn to shreds, strips of which served as homemade bandages. Despite these appearances, the thirteenth captain was present, and alive. "Captain General Yamamoto, please forgive my absence. I was detained."

"Rukia!" Renji almost made a move, but felt the hard eyes of Byakuya on him; now was not the time. Several faces lowered as Rukia took another step, they all looked at the blood streaming from her mangled arm onto the floor. The look of her made it seem as if even a single extra step would bleed her to death. Rukia stumbled, but strong hands were there this time to keep her steady. "Thank you, Captain Unohana."

"You should not be here. Your injuries are most severe."

"I have to say what must be said."

"After you receive treatment; come with me to the medics outside."

"Kuchiki Rukia!" The voice of Yamamoto was strong and clear. Pulling away slightly from her support the wounded captain strode forward and tried to bow, instead falling to one knee and holding herself up by her only good arm. Unohana was immediately there to lift her back to her feet. "How have you come to return to us?"

"By no small effort. I was allowed to return only to deliver a message. The only reason I'm still alive is this; when the day of Karakura's tragedy comes he will come to burn all of Soul Society to ash."

"Impossible. Such a task would require him to defeat the entire compliment of the Seireitei. Such a task cannot be done." Unfazed by her brother Rukia continued as she wiped a stream of blood from her eye.

"He has amassed followers, all arrancar. Twelve of them have risen to the title of espada. This number does not include Ichigo himself."

"Thirteen powerful foes, thirteen divisions. Does he mean to square against us on even ground?"

"Sheer numbers he lacks, Captain General. But, despite my shikai release the fourth espada pounded me to within an inch of my life. They are very powerful. What you see in my leg is all that remains of my zanpakutou. She crushed it with her bare hand." For a moment it looked as if Rukia were about to collapse. She teetered, but caught herself just before the fall.

"Captain Kuchiki you will accompany me to the medical station before you bleed to death."

"I'm fine."

"If you were fine you not be leaving a bloody puddle under your feet. Come with me." Sweeping Rukia off her feet Captain Unohana vanished.

* * *

Renji just stared, unable to find his words. Rukia's eyes were closed and her breaths came in smooth rhythm now, much of her injuries were healing but the scars would remain. The streams of soft white light from the moon gave Rukia a solemn glow. It was a quiet night, too quiet. All of this was making Renji uncomfortable to the point that his relief for Rukia's safety was nearly overwhelmed with uncertainty. "Is she asleep, Renji?" A whisper asked from the door.

"For almost an hour now. What's the word?"

"Second division made a very compelling argument. Central 46 is going to send a force to stop another war before it starts." Rangiku stepped in, but only just. She was not staying long enough to sit. "We will be taking the fight to Hueco Mundo."

"And so the mice took the bait, and into the trap they flocked. Funny, I always thought becoming a captain would make my life easier. Now, I almost miss my days as a lieutenant."

"Will you be coming?"

"How many are going?"

"I don't know, I'm trying to collect as many as I can right now."

"Then you'll need me. We're going to need all the muscle we can get. Besides, if one of the espada could do this to Rukia we're going to need all the brute force we can get. Byakuya couldn't do this to her if he tried. This is definitely going to be a battle worth attending."

"What will we need?"

"All the stupidity we can muster." Renji chuckled to himself as he stood, waving for Rangiku to follow him as he walked out. "With enough thick skulls perhaps we'll survive this suicide mission. Let's go, let her rest."

The room was still. Rukia felt she was alone once more. She opened an eye and stared up at the moon. It was beautiful. For that moment she just let herself fall into that light. Her good hand reached up and felt the spot on her chest where Zangetsu had struck for the second time in her life. "There was no battle." She could not get that phrase out of her head. Had Byakuya lied to her? If Ichigo had spoken the truth, what could any of the shinigami have possibly gained from such a horrible act? The threat of Aizen creating the King's Key was over. The war with Hueco Mundo had been on its last breath when the supposed battle had occurred. The arrancar were on the verge of defeat. What was the logic in such an act?

"Have I been wrong? Have I been that blind? Who is right?" She looked down and stared at her wounds, her soon to be scars. "Did I deserve this?" With some effort she was able to clench both fists as her eyes drifted back to the moon. Only one thing now echoed in her mind, a face and a question. "My brother, did I chose wrong to side with you?" A burning in her mind and heart grew stronger and stronger. Anger, curiosity, confusion, all mixing together into a mire of questions to which she knew no answers. But someone did. That made a cold shiver run down her spine.

When Rukia had heard of the "battle" she had rushed to the human world. She had hoped to save any and all lives possible, but instead she arrived in the midst of a bloodbath. Hundreds of shinigami had swarmed to try and quell Ichigo, mad with a fury Rukia could not have understood. Mere swings of his sword ripped dozens of them apart. His cries of anguish and rage were so powerful that nothing could approach him without suffering his indomitable spirit pressure. He'd turned into an animal. But, she had never known why. He'd given her a gash across her chest on that day, and now she had a second from the very same blade.

She had to know why. Even standing up Rukia felt fine, the injuries had almost completely healed. The reason didn't occur, she'd only been in the medical station for a few hours. She should still be near paralysis, but her mind was fixed on one thing, the injuries weren't important. She had to know the truth. The truth about her brother admonishing her for mourning her friend's passing. The truth about why no one spoke of Karakura, and why had it been made off-limits for all but the highest ranked. The truth behind Ichigo's hate. Perhaps even more. She was going to learn, even if she died trying.

* * *

The halls of the medical station were empty, the middle of the night meant most were asleep. They did not notice a patient leaving. As she leapt over the wall to the 4th division hospital Rukia considered going straight to her brother for the answers, but that would be a mistake. There was somewhere else, the Central 46 Chamber's archive. A place she was forbidden to enter, to even think about entering. That would know the truth, at the expense of becoming a fugitive. Though before Rukia could move off to her target a pair of voices made her heart leap into her throat. Pressing herself into the shadows she cursed herself for not grabbing more clothing before leaving. The only thing she had were her bandages and a robe. Her impatience was bound to get her caught since white robes did not blend well in dark places. "We're going to need the most experienced medic we can get on this. Are you willing?" It was Matsumoto, but Rukia couldn't see who she was talking to.

"What does Captain Unohana say?"

"Your captain has offered us whatever resources she can provide. Lieutenant Kotetsu, your services are required but this will be a combat arena."

"I understand. I will follow you. The necessity of qualified medics outweighs personal inhibitions. When do we leave?"

"First light." Alone once again. Checking her wounds again Rukia just stared, they were almost completely healed, not even a scar. Not even Unohana was so talented. Shaking her head to clear it, Rukia focused on her goal. She had to reach the archives, and do so unnoticed. Everything now depended on stealth.

* * *

"You are sure she was here, in this room?"

"I was here an hour ago, she was asleep!"

"Why were there no guards? She was captured, we don't even know if she had somehow been compromised by the enemy."

"Rukia, compromised? I know you and she haven't been on the best terms for a while but don't you have even a little faith in her?"

"She's emotional, no matter how hard she tries to hide that fact. She becomes too attached to those she serves with. It is dangerous." It was hard enough believing Rukia had just stood up and left after those injuries, and now Renji had to actually hear her brother suspecting her of treason… again. They weren't the only ones out looking for the missing captain. Renji just hoped he could find her before the second division did.

The search was spreading, more and more word going around that the 13th division captain was not only under suspicion but was now missing. It almost seemed that when a problem found its way to everyone's attention, a more pressing issue would spring up. A possibly rogue captain being hunted down in the midst of a gathering of forces for an invasion. The Seireitei indeed had its hands full. If only they were looking in the right place.

"No. This one isn't right either." A book landed roughly on the floor, followed by another. "This one isn't right. Not this one. No. No." Finally, her search fell on a date that made Rukia's heart skip a beat. She slowly grasped the spine of the record and slid it from the shelf, this was the right one. After a hunt through the war records, she'd found nothing. She'd looked in the general dates, no luck. Leaving a pair of guards frozen in her wake Rukia had forced her way through a locked door just to reach the high priority section, and now she'd found what she had looked for. "Hollows. Show me we fought hollows, please." She flipped through the pages. Faster and faster, almost frantically now as her back found the wall. The strength in her legs was waning as she slid down to the floor, there wasn't even a mention of them at all. "Where were the hollows? Where was the enemy?" She froze, her hands shaking as she turned back to the page she almost skipped. It was a list of names involved, and it was a long list. A report stating the actions according to the names, and one stood all too boldly to Rukia's eyes. "Byakuya… he lied to me. He lied to me! He…" Her eyes fell on another name, and her teeth nearly cracked from the force of her grinding them. Was there no one left she could trust?

Shouts and the sound of running feet floated down the hall. With a start Rukia shot to her feet and hugged the large book to her. They had found her, she needed to stall and fast. A simple twist of her hand and a wall of ice grew over the doorway, sealing it off from the approaching guards. One problem resolved, if only for a short time, led to another. She had just blocked the only way of escape. The only way that didn't involve destructive force. There was no point in subtlety anymore. She had the shard of her zanpakutou, they had at least left her that. It was all she needed now.

With little time to spare Rukia focused her spiritual energy into the shard, and it rattled. The white glow began to seep from the shard and gain length. The hilt appeared, and the rest of the blade formed before the glow lessened until it left her a sword made entirely of ice. "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki." The temperature in the whole roomed plummeted as the sword began to shine a pure white. Tiny snowflakes surrounded her as she swung the zanpakutou in a wide arc. "First dance, White Moon." This would bring every shinigami running, but it was the easiest way. She had to run, especially now that she knew. More so that they were aware of her knowing if they saw her with the record book.

The pillar of ice broke through the ceiling as it continued to rise into the sky. As it shattered the hole it formed served as a perfect escape route. "The senkaimon gate. I have to get to the gate." Her feet flew across the rooftops, her sword held tightly in hand. Rukia could feel the eyes on her, could almost feel the hands grabbing for her. The reserved thoughts of suspicion she'd had ever since the tragedy twenty-five years ago had come to horrible light. The true reason why she'd estranged herself from the brother she'd thought she knew. The worst part of it all, he had lied to her face. Everything he had said had been a lie. "Maybe everything he's ever said has been a lie."

The gate, she was there. All that was left was a quick spell, open the last destination and escape from Soul Society before she was hunted down. They were after her blood no doubt, especially after what she had done to the archives by forcibly entering that forbidden section. A place meant only for the council members of Central 46. That was a crime not even captain's could easily get away with. As her spell began to take effect, Rukia heard a voice calling up to her. Someone she had prayed she would not have to face. "Rukia! Stop!" It was Renji, and the fire of anger in her heart burned hot as he landed behind her. "What are you doing?!"

"What does it look like? I'm finding the truth behind a lie I've been living for twenty-five years! I always wondered most of all why, despite my brother, I was given the rank of captain. Looks like it wasn't for personal accomplishment."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I already knew too much, suspected the story so many of us were fed. It was what Ichigo told me that confirmed my own doubts. The truth behind everything, Karakura, the war… everything was a lie!"

"I don't know what you're-"

"Like hell you don't! Your name is right here!" She opened the record and pointed right to his name, 6th division lieutenant Abarai Renji. He took part in the incident at Karakura, right next to the name of his captain. "You lied to me, my brother lied to me! I wasn't made a captain for anything other than to keep a better eye on me!"

"Rukia, listen to me."

"I'm through listening and following like a good little girl." The gate began to open, to which Renji grabbed the hilt of his own sword. "Are you going to hit me, Renji?"

"If I have to. You're hurt, not thinking straight."

"Oh I think I am, for once." Several running figures could be seen closing in on the gate, just as it had opened enough for someone to fit through. "Are you really going to follow me?"

"You know I have to."

"I thought you would. Then again, you never were very fast." She dove into the gate and vanished.

* * *

The ruins of Karakura were in the break of dawn as the escapee powered over the rubble. Her pursuers would follow, and she had to get as much distance as she could before they pinned her down. Rukia couldn't go back now, not after learning this. Taking refuge behind a broken down wall Rukia clutched the record tightly. She watched, waited, every breath a labor as she anticipated the gate's reopening. If she battled Renji right now, he'd have his power limiter released. With hers still active he'd crush her. All she could do was hide, and hope that she could find a way to acquire a gigai before it was too late.

The gate indeed opened. Renji stepped through, followed by a half dozen other shinigami all with drawn swords. "Find her, and hurry! We don't want to draw any more attention than we have to, especially right now. What are you all waiting for? Go!" The shinigami spread out, the hunt had begun now in place that had started it all.


	6. Follow Your Heart

**Oh yeah, this was fun to write. Warning, this chapter contains Grimmjow (3).**

* * *

"Rukia, we don't have time for this game of yours! Come out, we can talk!"

"Yeah right." Rukia muttered to herself. They were getting closer, but she was still just fast enough or hidden in such a way that the others passed her by. She knew her luck would not last forever. The situation was already bleak. What clothing she had constituted as a wrapping of bandages around her chest and the robe she had wrapped about her waist to at least give the appearance of decency. She had her zanpakutou, and the archive journal, and that was it. So much for gear. No comrades, no way out, and sooner or later she might even have to fight. If she did, she would certainly lose if the others were let loose at full power. She knew by now she'd been labeled a traitor, likely for the third or fourth time at that point. "Captain Ukitake if only you could see me now."

Rukia's eyes went wide as the thick sword blade smashed into the ground only a foot in front of where she knelt. She leapt backwards as the whip-like weapon skated through her hiding spot. She'd been found. "Stop running, you are just making this difficult!" Renji retracted the blade to its original position. "I don't want to fight with you, Rukia!"

"You just tried to kill me!"

"I knew you'd get out of the way. I don't want to do that again but I have my orders. Whatever you stole I was told to recover under any circumstances. This goes way beyond just you and me. Don't make me get rough."

"You know you can't beat me in a fair fight, Renji!"

"Who said anything about a fair fight?" Pulling the side of his shirt side Renji showed off the symbol on his chest. His limiter was released, and that alone made Rukia flinch. If she fought now, it would be over in a matter of minutes. Despite this, she wasn't about to just give up either. If the Central 46 was going to try and have her head just for knowing more than she was supposed to then there was nothing left to go back to. Pointing her sword right at Renji, Rukia planted her feet and readied for the inevitable, bone-crushing blow. "We're friends, Rukia! I don't want to have to do this!"

"If you value your rank and name more than your friends then I never truly knew you! What happened to the Renji I knew that would challenge his own captain to save the lives of those he cared about?!"

"That is still me! I have not changed!"

"Yes Renji, you have. Everyone has changed." She could see it now. His face showed the inner battle. Years as a captain had instilled a powerful sense of the necessity of following orders in him, even blindly so if he had to. But, the old Renji remained also, the one who Rukia had grown up with. Her friend. "There is so much about this you don't understand! We're doing what we have to do, what had to be done!" The look of determination returned, and with a swing he brought his shikai back and prepared for the strike. "I'm sorry!" He struck empty space.

Rukia pushed herself as hard as she could. Flash step after flash step, putting as much raw distance between her and the others. If she could get out of the city, then she had a chance. With every push she felt more and more drained though. Like her strength was being pulled right out of her body. She was already tired, but this was something else. The realization was not something that bode well at all in Rukia's mind. They were increasing her limit seal, cutting off her powers a little at a time.

It didn't matter; she was nearing the edge of the city. She needed only strength for two, at most three more jumps and she would be out. Only one more step now, so close. Soul society couldn't waste valuable resources on a long-term hunt for one girl. The limit of the city was right there, and she could sense the ones following her several jumps behind. There was no stopping her now. In fact, it was nothing that ended up doing just that.

Like an invisible wall in the air, unseen and unfelt until it was too late. Rukia was stopped dead against it as powerful arcs of energy coursed through her body. It almost seemed to try and hold her as she screamed, the power of it making every nerve ending in her body cry out in pain. For that agonizingly long moment, Rukia was utterly helpless. She was at the mercy of a power she could not even sense. She didn't even feel the fall, so dazed that the first thing that occurred in her mind was the impact. The broken stones and dead grass below served as her cushion, and she landed among it only half conscious.

She regained enough sense to see Renji bending over her. "A… barrier?" She managed, trying to sound more hurt than she actually was. Dazed, and the landing hurt her awfully, but she was still alive. She would take what advantages fate allowed. "I should have guessed. Hueco Mundo never broke through the barrier over it; they expanded it into the human world. That shock probably took the rest of the fight out of you. We're going back, we can make you forget. Don't worry; everything will be back to normal in no time." Rukia screamed in her mind, that was the very last thing she wanted. There was no way she could go back to serving those who lied to their own. She didn't want to forget, the truth was too heavy to just leave behind.

Grabbing Renji's hair Rukia powered herself up, crushing her knee into his visor. The blow cracked the accessory and knocked his head back enough for her to slam a foot right into his sternum. Despite her spirit energy leaving her span of control, she still had the strength required to send the other captain rolling and flopping for several meters. Her zanpakutou was in reach, she snatched in up and took off along the edge of the barrier. There had to be a weak point, an opening, something… anything.

Not daring to touch the wall again Rukia kept going, maybe it had fallen over some rubble that left an opening. Maybe a point in the curtain would allow movement through it. All of these false hopes, and she very well knew it. She was reaching for stars she could never hold, and that alone gave her despair. They would catch her, and they would force her to forget. They would force her to continue a battle against a man whose only crime was trying to defend his family, his friends, and himself.

Her mind so occupied Rukia didn't sense she was being intercepted. She didn't see it until it was too late. A blur of motion and a strike against her cheek that felt as if it almost tore her head from her shoulders. The kick threw her against the barrier, and again the energy surrounding the barrier tore through her body. She couldn't help but scream, there was nothing in her world but pain. When the barrier's hold on her released she dropped to her knees, smoking from the contact with it. "Pathetic. Why should we waste any effort on retaining this traitor? She has caused nothing but trouble at every turn." That voice.

Rukia looked up and stared her assailant in the eyes. Soi Fon did not return the glance as she pointed her blade at Renji as he caught up. "You are a fool to think we should care at all for this idiot! This was her last chance, I am fed up with suffering her insolence."

"What are you doing? We've caught her, we have to take her back!"

"Perhaps you didn't hear. The moment Captain General Yamamoto caught word of this fool's treachery, she was marked a spy of the enemy. That she very well may be, or maybe not. All I care is my orders are prevent her from reaching the traitor Kurosaki… dead or alive."

"You can't be serious!"

"I only ever speak the truth, and I always follow my orders. Something you should attempt, once in a while. Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi."

* * *

The room was quiet, deathly so. The only activity from the spirit mirror that watched the human world, which currently observed the fight engaged in Karakura. With his hands grasped firmly behind his back Ichigo watched the most one-sided fight he had ever seen. Rukia was losing her spirit energy with every moment and she still fought on. She was summoning her reserves in bursts, just enough to barely dodge the second division commander's swift strikes. But it could not last, she already had nearly a dozen butterfly-like crests all over her arms and chest.

As he watched Ichigo felt a pain in his arm. He looked at it and saw fingernail marks dug into his flesh. He'd been clenching his hands on each other without even realizing it. "I shouldn't care. They are the ones that… I don't even know what I'm thinking anymore."

"You know, I always admired the fact you stuck to your guns, no matter what. But this is ridiculous."

"How long have you been watching me, Grimmjow?"

"Long enough to get sick to my stomach. You try and look all big and badass, but look at you! You're going to kill yourself if you just stare at that thing for one more second."

"You don't know anything."

"Bullshit! I know a lovesick jackass when I see it. Don't get me wrong, seeing you squirm gives me at least some small satisfaction, but I'm not going to follow around a fool who doesn't even listen to himself. I'm not an idiot."

"I swore I'd never aid the shinigami again."

"And from what Neriel has told me behind closed doors is you also made an oath to that black-haired chick that you'd protect her. Then you went through all that trouble of getting Sana to project illusions of grave injuries when all she did was knock her around? You've had two chances, TWO, to kill her and you didn't. You can't!" Ichigo kept his focus on the mirror. He wished it could give him sound as well as sight, Grimmjow's words were forcing through the denial he'd long since hidden behind. "I don't follow you because you're stronger than me, or because you've beaten me twice. I like to think it's because for once I've found someone who has a goal worth giving a damn about. That and one of these days I'll get my dues on your skull, but this? Stop being such a fucking loser!"

"I'm a man of my word!" Grimmjow just sneered as Ichigo got right in his face. "I swore to fight the shinigami to the end!"

"And you swore you'd always protect your friends. Ain't she your friend?"

"No! Yes… she was! That was a long time ago."

"You're such a fucking loser. You're a big kid with a lot of guns. If you don't stick to your word, then what you say ain't worth shit!" The anger in Ichigo's eyes was burning brighter and brighter. "So why don't you actually do something instead of glower at me?"

"Like kill you?"

"Well, it's a start for once! Get off your high throne and prove to me you aren't some overgrown bully. You're pushing in on my reputation as it is. I have an image to keep you know."

* * *

Collapsing backwards Rukia just panted as Soi Fon marched towards her. She had nothing left, and the marks left by the woman's stinger were weakening her even further. "You have no chance, and still you try to run or fight. I broke your sword and you still tried. I must admit, Kuchiki Rukia, your determination is admirable. I will make sure your brother knows you died honorably."

"Adopted brother! We're not related by blood." Grasping what remained of her blade Rukia tried to stand and ready herself for another bout, but her legs refused to respond.

"Don't think that you can just keep fighting with even a single crest from my Suzumebachi burned into your skin. I've developed my poison so it will seep into your body and kill you a little at a time. The more it strikes the faster death comes. If you let me strike without resistance, I will it before end what will no doubt be a horrible death comes. You have earned that much."

"I'll be dead before I give up!"

"Yes, you will." Soi Fon's charge seemed to move so slowly, her hand drawing back for the killer blow. Rukia couldn't even bring her hands all the way up to try and block. All she could do was look up high, see as Renji just watched from his perch high above. All he did was watch. Rukia closed her eyes, she couldn't bear to watch anymore. She'd been turned against by everyone. Her final fight for survival had been a desperate run. How could she possibly believe she'd died honorably. "Kaien… I'm sorry."

There was a shrieking sound of metal grinding against metal. Something slammed into the ground next to her and sprayed little chunks of rock and dirt at her face. Rukia slowly opened her eyes to see a mass of white robes flapping next to her in the wind. A long black blade stopping not only the stinger, but Soi Fon's whole body in its tracks. "What have I told you, Rukia?"

"… What?"

"I thought I said that you should never apologize! Especially when that someone isn't even here to listen!" He casually swung Zangetsu and Soi Fon went sailing, nearly impacting against the barrier as she put every ounce of strength into stopping. "Ichigo! What-"

"Shut up! This is not talking time, this is rescuing time! God, how many times do I have to save you from these people? I really should start a tally."

"Kurosaki!" Glancing up Ichigo saw the extending blade shooting straight for his head. A blur of white appeared in its path, batting the attack away with a mere flick of a hand. Renji just pulled back his sword, staring as Grimmjow shook his hand. "That actually hurt. Hey, Ichigo, I'll deal with these. You set from there?"

"I'll handle this one. It isn't like us to just grab and run. That would be rude. We should stay and be gracious hosts."

"Oh that's what I want to hear!" Grimmjow's face split in a wide grin as he shot upwards, grasping his sword as he rushed the captain headfirst.

"Besides, this won't be too difficult." Grinning at the short woman, Ichigo drove Zangetsu into the ground and cracked his knuckles. "I'll make it a little more even with a handicap. Sound fair?"

"You have interfered for the last time, Kurosaki! You have been nothing but a thorn in our sides from the first day! I'll pluck that thorn here and now!"

"You're just sore because thanks to me you'll always be Yoruichi's second-best student." A fury lit in Soi Fon's eyes that flew from her mouth in a shout of rage. With blind speed she charged, her stinger aimed right for Ichigo's heart. She couldn't see anything but tearing his smirking face from his skull. Even as her zanpakutou buried itself in his chest he just looked down at her with that same look of half-amusement. "That was your one free shot. Now, you're mine."


	7. Strength and Sorrow

The feeling in her legs was starting to fade, replaced with a hot ache that grew into a painful throb. Rukia felt as if her insides were coming apart at the seams, the poisons were doing their work. As the battle raged in the background she stared at the long blade before her. Zangetsu, the Hell Blade some called it. The most feared weapon that ever graced the fields of war. So few zanpakutou before it could match the blood spilled by its edge.

Why then, even knowing this, did she feel relief by looking at it? Where was that fear? The first words that came to mind when she saw Ichigo standing over her were "what took you so long?" Despite everything that had happened, all the years gone by, she could only see that teenaged powerhouse ready and willing to die before he let those he cared about get hurt. Ichigo, the man who only a short time ago had tried to kill her now fought to save her from death.

No… that wasn't true. If he had truly wanted to kill her she would most certainly be dead. If he could rip a hundred shinigami warriors from the sky with a mere swing of his sword, he could kill one foolish girl. She couldn't imagine what stayed his hand. Why have so many died when she alone was spared? Toshirou, Taska, a multitude of others whose names she would never know. The answers did not reveal themselves to her; no heavenly sign eased her troubled thoughts. As Rukia's world began to dull into an aching murk thinking about the past became that much harder. The sounds though, she could still hear the world as crisp and clear as if she were in peak health. All she heard were the booms, the noise of battle. For her the din was almost overwhelming.

* * *

Soi Fon tried to catch herself as she skipped and bounced across the ground, finally coming to a halt on her back. She'd struck at him a dozen times; nothing was getting through his defenses. How was that even possible? Her last kick had put her ankle right into his grip somehow, and he'd tossed her like a stone to skip over a lake. "This isn't going to get any easier, shinigami!" Wiping the blood from her lip Soi Fon rose up and lifted her stinger to her face. She hid the grimace of pain thanks to a broken rib from her opponent. She couldn't show weakness now. "You have to get me twice, and that isn't going to happen."

"Wrong! Even now the venom of my Suzumebachi is eating into your body. Even a single strike, a simple scratch from it is lethal! I just consider the finishing blow a courtesy now. The offering of a swift death for my enemies." Ichigo's gaze fell to the hornet's crest spread over his heart and shoulder. The realization occurred to him and he shot a look back towards Rukia. She was covered in them. "The more crests there are, the faster the poison works. It is too late for the both of you." A burst of speed as Soi Fon launched into a flash step. This was her chance, her enemy was distracted. End the traitor, both of them, once and for all. She was so close now, racing up towards his side. He wasn't even looking at her, the crest just out of reach as she homed in.

The stinger struck, tearing cloth as it passed harmlessly through the jacket and shirt of its target. Ichigo had just barely moved back, and she was off-balance in his reach. The titanic blow came from underneath, his knee connecting with her stomach like a battering ram. The strike sent a flash of white over her eyes, the shock alone of such brute force had nearly broken her in half. Before her senses could return Ichigo grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her head back so she could stare right into his eyes. They burned like golden suns, the eyes of a hollow. "Undo what you did and I'll let you live." No answer.

Like a diving bird of prey Ichigo dropped to the ground and drove Soi Fon's head into it. He let go and she fell limp onto her back. Blood flowed down her face from the gash on her head. Ichigo just watched for a moment, and right as she began to stir he stomped her into the dirt, inciting a gasp of pain from his victim. Grasping the rags that remained of his shirt and jacket Ichigo pulled them away. His chest was riddled with thick scars etched all over his carved features. She could do nothing but stare as his spirit energy began to take form, focusing in on the hornet's crest. It began to glow, and then dissolve like watery ink running off a canvas. Soi Fon's eyes went wide as she saw the venom drip out from his wound and ran with the blood from her sting. "Impossible."

"Your little poker can remove the poison it injects. Remove it from Rukia."

"Those who disregard the law deserve only death." She winced as the pressure on her chest increased slightly. "I will take solace at least one traitor faces judgment." With a deep growl Ichigo lifted his hand, but did nothing. After an agonizingly long moment he stepped away and made his way through the rubble back towards his sword, and Rukia. "I don't have time for you. Take your solace and leave. Be grateful, I'm not much known for mercy anymore."

* * *

Kneeling next to Rukia, Ichigo lifted her up, supporting her head with his hand. She was just as short and petite as always, his hand alone dwarfing her head in its grip. Her skin felt cold, not a good sign. "Rukia?" She didn't answer. "Damn it, Rukia! Wake up!" One eye cracked, looking up at him sluggishly. "Ichigo?"

"Look at you. I make such a big show of trying to be a bad guy and here I am again. You make me do the dumbest things."

"The book… the answers are in it. The truth."

"Stay with me, I didn't come here for some stupid book." She smiled... she rarely did that.

"Come to finish me off then? Like you did Taska?"

"I haven't killed anyone in a while, Rukia." Her eyes widened a little. She opened her mouth to speak when Ichigo suddenly yelled in pain. He let Rukia go as he spun, brining Soi Fon with him as she wrenched her stinger from his back. She landed a cut across his cheek before leaping back. The two crests already forming from the wounds as she regarded her foe with a sneer. "You should have killed me, Kurosaki. You're a fool to think I had no way of healing myself in an emergency. Now we will see if you can remove my crests when they cover every inch of your body! So keep on fighting until every cell in your body falls apart."

A thick black glow began to emanate from Ichigo's whole body. It engulfed him like a bordering haze, tinted with the color of blood. His face only held a scowl, though his eyes burned bright with their hellish fury. The glare alone made Soi Fon take a cautious step back. This spirit energy was dangerous, she could feel it. Though what shocked her the most was his spirit pressure alone was skyrocketing. Within moments she felt it exceed her own and continue to rise without slowing. She had to take another step back; just being near him was causing her skin to burn. His very aura was damaging. "That's impossible. My poison should prevent him from summoning more energy!"

Just like that he vanished. Soi Fon's eyes went wide as she looked left and right. She hadn't seen where he had gone. She didn't even have an idea of which direction. He had simply disappeared. A burst of air just inches in front of her face, a flash step the likes of which she had never seen. Before Soi Fon could even react, Ichigo batted her away like someone would a fly. A geyser of dust and rocks erupted in her wake as she skid on the ground from such a staggering blow.

A pile of rubble fell over top of where she landed. The dust choking the air all around. Pushing herself out Soi Fon stumbled to her feet. Blood dripped from her arm as she pushed the shoulder back into its socket. Despite her best effort her legs shook, that was the hardest she had ever been struck in her entire life. He made it look as if he had just swatted her, no effort at all in the blow. "Nothing is that strong… he can't be…" A black streak zigzagged through the air towards her. She knew this attack, the black core bordered by crimson. A kuroi getsuga, he had even mastered its use without a zanpakutou. She would definitely be in trouble if it struck. Gathering her own spirit pressure Soi Fon gave a burst of speed right as the black ribbon smashed into where she had just stood. As she soared she shot a glance to her side. There he was again, moving so fast her eyes couldn't even register it.

This blow sent her through a derelict wall, collapsing it over top as she blasted into it like a cannonball. A searing pain gripped her jaw as Soi Fon rose up out of the debris. He'd cracked her cheekbone. A single punch had nearly smashed her face in. "You haven't got a hope in hell of beating me. Skill and speed are useless. Just give up already."

"I'm not done yet." She snarled as focused spirit particles mended the bones in her face. She had to heal the serious injuries first; the superficial cuts and gashes could wait. "Don't think you've won just yet."

"I could crush you at any time. But I'm not about to let Rukia die."

"She's nothing, to you or anyone else. Who cares if she lives or dies?"

"I do."

"I see, now I understand."

Ichigo watched as his opponent moved into a flash step. Though he readied himself, nothing happened. He blinked, had he not been the target? He swung around and watched as Soi Fon dove at Rukia, he zanpakutou ready to strike. She was going to kill Rukia! Steadying an arm pointed at the assassin, Ichigo aimed two fingers right at Soi Fon. Black energy condensed at the tip of his fingers, pulsating with its reddish light. He made sure his aim was precise as he released the cero blast.

The black and crimson beam tore across the ruined city. It engulfed its target and continued on till it struck the barrier. The force of the explosion caused such a shockwave that it shook the ground inside and out of the invisible wall. Hurricane-like force ripped up dirt and rocks and all manner of debris and threw it everywhere. After a few moments of chaos, the winds finally died down. A single flash step put Ichigo onto the path his cero had carved into the ground. To the side was his target, she'd been thrown clear and escaped the brunt of the devastating blast. Though she still looked as if she had been nearly incinerated, blood trickling from a thousand small cuts. She groaned as he approached, unable it seemed to even move. "Turning your back to the enemy… Well now I laid you flat on yours. I'll tell you this, I expected more."

He got what he expected. Soi Fon shot up with a cry, aiming to drive her stinger through to where she had planted a crest on his back. He had come just close enough that she had a chance to end it. All she received was the back of his fist. The sheer power of this pushed her back and deeper into the stone and dirt beneath. The earth shook as if in aftershock from the force of her impact with it. "Don't get up." Despite his words Soi Fon pushed herself to rise, but he smashed a foot onto her elbow to halt this attempt. Ichigo felt the bones crack as he leaned down, grasping her zanpakutou firmly. He removed the stinger before wrenching the rest of it away from her arm, nearly breaking her wrist in the process. "Just lay there and bleed to death. I gave you your chance."

Holding Suzumebachi up to get a better look, Ichigo scowled. He knew better, it wouldn't work for him. He couldn't make it undo what its master had done. But, it would be a waste to just leave it with her. It had other uses. Turning Ichigo leapt off towards his sword. Back to where Rukia was lying, fighting for her very life. Soi Fon could only watch as he left.

She couldn't just let him walk away. He'd beaten her, the worst defeat she'd ever experienced. Despite that, she couldn't just let it end with her broken in some hole. Even a twitch of movement was excruciating, but it was just pain. The cero had done so much damage that it was agony every time her heart beat, a penalty for her weakness. No, she couldn't let him win. It had taken her over a century to reach the level she had achieved. She wasn't ready to go out; she still had to surpass her master. No boy given a tenth the time she had to train was going to kill her. He had to have a weak spot somewhere.

His back! Right in the center line, the backbone. He hadn't seen her coming. Only until she had struck had he even noticed her! If she could get just one more shot, it would all be over. Summoning every ounce of strength she had left Soi Fon drew herself up. She put everything she had into this, what remained of her robes shredded as her feet drilled into the stone underneath them. Energy cracked and hissed as the condensed kido energy materialized at her shoulders.

Flash Cry, Yoruichi Shihoin's prized technique. Soi Fon had one shot at his back, one last attempt. Her bones were about to give out, her muscles in tatters, her whole body was on the verge of collapse. Through all of this she pushed on. She was Yoruichi's greatest student. She was the one to shine, even if it killed her. Pushing off with everything she had Soi Fon launched into the hardest flash step she had ever achieved.

There he was, walking now towards his blade. If he reached that, she was finished. If he could use its powers, like the getsuga, without even wielding it than his power through it could only be thought of as monstrous. The zanpakutou was a ways off, and she was in his blind spot. He would not have the chance to retrieve it. She noticed her crest had vanished; he had removed the poisons again. That didn't matter now. A single blow to the spine and unleash the full force of her flash cry through his chest. Blow his lungs out, tear open his ribcage. She just needed to get there. Four meters left now. Her body screamed in protest, but its cries were ignored.

One meter left, she moved in for the kill. Her hands never did reach their target. A black streak filled her vision, and blood flew through the air with it. Zangetsu sung as Ichigo swung it in a wide arc, the same black force he emitted from his body trailing behind the tip like a stream. "How…" Blood poured from the huge gash in Soi Fon's chest. She could only stare blankly, the energy from her flash cry dissipating as if it were afraid to even challenge the black sword. "How… his sword… how…" She didn't feel the ground beneath her as she landed on it. The unyielding stone of what had once been a street on her chest, nor the grit of it on her cheek. The whole world was only a blur.

"Such a fool." Lifting Zangetsu high Ichigo readied to drive it through his fallen enemy. She was helpless; he could see it in the blank expression on her face. It felt like a favor now to put her out of her misery. He tensed as he started the last strike his opponent would ever receive.

"Stop!" That voice, his arm froze with the tip inches away from Soi Fon's back. A pair of hands were grasping his arm, pushing up against it as hard as they could to stave off his sword. Rukia was standing over Soi Fon's broken body, doing her best to hold Zangetsu at bay. Ichigo didn't move, it looked as if a stiff breeze would simply knock her over. She couldn't stop him by force and yet she had tried to anyway. "That's enough, just stop."

"Get out of the way, she deserves this!"

"How much more?! How many have to die? How much blood do you need?" A tear streaked down Rukia's cheek. Looking up into the man's black eyes she fought back the cries that welled in her. Those deep golden cores burning holes straight to the back of her head, but they were his eyes. No matter how much he scowled, his eyes were always soft. "No more killing. Please, no more." The sword lowered, Ichigo just staring at Rukia as she wiped the tear from her face. He bowed his head, eyes closed.

For so many years he had lived by that black blade. Killing was all he had known. Kill or be killed, that was the law of Hueco Mundo. The strong prevailed, the weak died. But, for the first time in so many years he felt the will to land that final blow leave him. For the first time he couldn't finish it. All the ruthless resolve and hardened nerves melted away in the tide of a single tear.

Taking hold of the hilt in Ichigo's hand Rukia lifted it and pushed the length back into his sash. "No more killing, Ichigo. Please."

"Rukia." She placed a hand against his chest to steady herself, feeling the scars beneath her palm. They were thick, knotted. No doubt the wounds to cause them had been brutal indeed. What had the years done to him? What had she let happen to him? The thought just hurt to imagine. The pain was coming back. The feeling of razors every time she drew a panting breath. "Bring him back, the Ichigo I knew. Not this angel of death. I just want to see his face one more time."

"I'm sorry. I can't change the way I look."

"But you sound like him. I can remember his face. All I have left… are memories." She fell forward, collapsing against his chest. Ichigo wrapped his arms around her as she fell, eyes closing slowly. "Rukia! Wake up! RUKIA!!"


	8. The Monkey and the Cat

**And now for something completely different! (I am so getting flamed for this)**

* * *

"Is that it? Is that all you've got? How disappointing." Tossing his sword up and down in his hand, Grimmjow finally shoved it back into his sash. His opponent was gripping his shikai with both hands, breathing hard. "A captain of the thirteen divisions? Aren't you guys supposed to be the best of the best? Pathetic! I feel like I was cheated by coming here."

"Why do this then? Why did you crawl back out of your holes?!"

"Why? Why not? A good fight, a little sport, some well deserved mayhem? Or, if I'm lucky, the chance to face a truly powerful opponent!"

"A truly powerful opponent?" Renji just let out a throaty laugh, which brought a raised eyebrow from Grimmjow. "Fine, if you want to fight so much…" Grasping something in the folds of his shirt Renji pulled out his communicator and flipped it open. "Captain Abarai Renji, Eleventh Division. Release the limit seal to eighty percent."

"Only eighty? Oh, I'm flattered."

"We've fought against your kind twice before. The battles with Aizen, the war his followers began after his defeat… Now we are challenged by Kurosaki and his band of rejects? We are not afraid or even impressed with of the likes of Hueco Mundo!" Zabimaru lashed out at Grimmjow, catching the espada across the shoulder. Swinging his blade with all his might Renji scrapped it down and across the earth far below. With a final twist of his grip Renji snapped the whip-like weapon upwards and sent his enemy hurtling through the air. He traced the path with his free hand, summoning the energy needed for another attack. "Destruction Arts, number thirty-three! Blue fire, crash down!"

The sapphire blast engulfed Grimmjow in flames and smoke. Renji watched with a grin as his opponent disappeared within the inferno. He retracted his blade, giving it a good swing to get the blood from the edges. "Now all you've done is brought your own doom upon yourself."

"Oh please, tell me about my doom!"

"What?!" Grimmjow cracked his foot into the captain's chest so hard it produced a visible circle of air spreading from the impact. Renji was sent spinning through the air like a missile, trying as hard as he could just to slow down. Before the captain struck the barrier his assailant leapt into his path and delivered a second punishing kick. This blow drove Renji practically straight down.

Only through sheer willpower did Renji slow himself enough to land on his feet. His landing caused a wide crater as he impacted, feet dug into the dead grass and soil. "I want to hear all about my doom, shinigami! I'm sick and tired of WAITING! Unleash your Bankai, give me a real challenge!"

"I don't need to use that. You might be fast, but those kicks of yours aren't going to win you anything. I've had girls hit me harder than that!"

"Girls? Heh… Heh, heh… HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH!!! You wanted me to hit you? I thought we were just playing around!"

"Maybe if you release your sword, I'll think about it."

"HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH!!! My sword? Why the hell would I do that?! This isn't even a real fight! You're not coming at me with everything you have! If you want to see my resurrection you'll have to give me what I want first!"

"I won't lower myself to such depths. If I were to use my Bankai it wouldn't be a fair fight."

"Fair fight? There's no such thing! I'm not even warmed up yet and you're already sweating!"

"You're bleeding!"

"These? Only flesh wounds. Come on, shinigami. Give me everything. One hundred percent!"

"I don't see why I should." His face twisting into a grin Grimmjow drew out his sword and pointed its tip at Renji. "Let me make it more obvious then, shinigami." Placing his palm on the flat of the blade Grimmjow gripped the sword tightly in his hand. Red light was beginning to shine through his fingers, and he drew his hand down the length of the zanpakutou, spreading the red light over the weapon. When he had finished the sword was glowing brilliantly, its bloody aura illuminating its master's face in a freakish light. "I'm done warming up."

Blades clashed and the red aura of Grimmjow's sword produced a shower of sparks with every engage. The two pushed away from one another and charged again. Only steel came between them now. Grimmjow was swinging wildly; his Cheshire grin lit again and again with every meeting of their swords. He saw in Renji's eyes the same battle pyre that burned in his. The captain was fighting with every ounce of strength afforded him. A battle of sheer, unabated muscle. No care for skill, only the desire to beat the enemy into submission.

The tense battle rose higher and higher into the sky; neither willing to give ground, neither gaining any. Finally Renji drew back his sword and let Zabimaru fly. The front edge striking against Grimmjow's glowing zanpakutou and pushing the espada back. He didn't move far, but the captain's strength was undeniable. It took only a quick flick of his wrist for Grimmjow to toss the long blade away from his person. "You're better than I expected."

"This is going nowhere! I have more important matters to attend to then you!"

"What, you mean that pretty little girl? The boss has her well in hand, don't you worry."

"What the hell do you want from Rukia? You set her free just to come hounding after her again? Are you after the book she stole?"

"Book? Who the hell cares about a book? I'm here to fight!" Drawing his zanpakutou up to shoulder-height, Grimmjow aimed it at Renji. The crimson aura of the blade condensed at the tip into a ball, and in that split second the cero fired. The thick beam crashed against its target, held at bay only by the broad side of Renji's shikai and his own physical might. "Give me a battle to remember, shinigami! Show me what a captain is really made of!"

As the light of the cero died away, the two opponents squared against one another. Renji's stoic expression faced against Grimmjow's toothy grin. "How can you smile like that? This is a battle."

"How? How can I not? I haven't had a fight that wasn't over first bites at dinner in a year! No, longer! I'm having fun!"

"Fun? You sound like my predecessor. That man lived for fighting."

"You mean eyepatch? Seen him a few times. There's a guy I can respect. I wish I were fighting him, he wouldn't hold back in the least!"

"You're crazy." This only brought Grimmjow's cackling laughter back. It was easy enough to goad this captain; too easy to incite his emotions instead of his sword. He was fighting anger back; sooner or later it would drive him to Bankai. Still, Grimmjow figured it was best not to let loose in the conflict. He didn't want to end it quickly. "You're just mad because despite being your ally, we treat the little lady better than you do!"

"You tried to kill her; I'm trying to help her!"

"Help her? HAH! I'm real convinced. It looked like she was getting killed when I watched. What did you do? You stood by, you watched. I was the only one to actually come and DO something about it so who's the one trying to help her now?! Well, we've won this little game! We get the victor's treat! Hell, maybe she'll make a good pet."

"You bastard! I will never allow it!"

"Then show me your Bankai! Throw everything you can at me! Unleash your fury! Do it!! Show me!! Don't you want to 'help' her? Then kill me!!"

"I won't let you lay a hand on her, I'll crush you!" Lifting his sword as high as he could, Renji charged it with all the spirit particles in his power. The energy was threatening to tear itself out, screaming for release. "BANKAAAIIIII!!!" The resulting spiritual wave spread out like a bomb going off. Grimmjow covered his face with his arms, still smiling as he watched through the gap. Renji was completely consumed in a brilliant display of power. "Hihio Zabimaru!"

A bony head emerged from the mist, shrieking loudly as it coiled up. Its eyes glaring hungrily down at Grimmjow. Another head poked out of the haze, followed by another. Each one opened their mouths and released a deafening scream when they saw their target. "Nice, so this is the Bankai that killed Yylfordt. I'm not impressed."

Renji lifted a hand, and simply snapped his fingers. Two of the heads charged, screaming as they dove at Grimmjow with open mouths. The espada just stood there, waiting. Ready and willing for the snake-heads to hit him. Zabimaru struck, trying to snap its victim up in one bite. Grimmjow on the other hand pressed against both snakes as they drove him across the sky. His feet drew smoky lines in the air as he was forced backwards. Holding both of the heads at bay with only a hand and his zanpakutou.

One head drew back and snapped at him again, receiving nothing but a heel against its jaw. Grabbing the other head Grimmjow spun wildly, twisting the whole length of the snake until the whole thing flew apart. The first head came again, shrieking as it tried to trap the espada between its teeth. It didn't get the chance as it met against a blast of red light. Clenching his hand Grimmjow shook the remnants of his cero away, watching the remnants of the two snakes fall to the ground far below. "This is it? This is all you've got? Are you kidding me?!"

There was only one head left now. Its mouth was gaping open, a dark red shine inside the skull. The final head rushed in, the light growing brighter and brighter as it approached. Grimmjow braced, but in doing so his gaze was drawn down. The first two heads were charging upwards at him, similar red lights in their mouths also. The glowing heads flashed with sudden intensity as the three bolts of spirit energy shot out. "Hikotsu Taiho!"

Grimmjow didn't even have time to move away. The three blasts overtook him and detonated. The resulting cloud was massive, threatening to wrap its choking clutches around Renji as he watched. "Nothing has ever survived three simultaneous hits from Zabimaru's baboon bone cannon. But, I'm needed elsewhere now. It was for the best." Something caught his eye. A speck of blue in the cloud of smoke. The light suddenly grew rapidly to an intensity nearly too bright to look at. "No!"

The enormous blue cero erupted from the smoke cloud. Renji drew his Bankai around him like a shield as the energy crashed into him like a tidal wave. The ferocity of it all was overwhelming. Finally Grimmjow's Gran Rey subsided, its victim falling to a knee. It took almost everything out of Renji just to remain in the air now. The two combatant's eyes met again. Grimmjow was panting, blood flowing from his neck, chest, and arms. He looked badly injured. "That's what I wanted!" Grimmjow shouted, his laughter piercing the air like a banshee. "This is power; this is a fight worth having! Give me more, all of it! I want everything you can offer!"

Renji just scowled, the cero that hit him had done enough damage as it was. How could the arrancar still be in one piece let alone laughing? He had been hit with three shots at once from Zabimaru's bone cannon. How was he still so functional? That was one of Renji's most powerful attacks! Despite that he was laughing! Asking, no, begging for even more! "If that was just the beginning I can't wait to see what else your Bankai has in store for this fight! Such a unique ability, no wonder you were afraid to release that thing! Just a single shot from it could no doubt end a good battle far too quickly."

"How… you're not even…"

Both of them suddenly froze, or more accurately seized up. A spiritual pressure of intense strength saturated the air. The pull of it alone made simple movement difficult. Grimmjow and Renji both shot glances downwards to the source, a thick beam of darkness cutting its way across the city. Grimmjow's eyes grew wide, he'd seen this before. There was only one thing to do, and so he braced against the inevitable with all his might. Renji got the hint, and not a moment too soon. The black cero struck the barrier wall miles away, the air suddenly growing eerily still.

The calm before the chaos. The shockwave following was so overwhelming it nearly dragged Grimmjow and Renji along with it. Both of them being pelted with showers of sharp rocks, bits of dirt, and anything else the explosion could throw at them. "What the hell is this?!" Renji shouted as he felt himself getting pushed back little by little. The winds were so immense he couldn't imagine holding them back much longer before simply blowing away.

The aftermath of this was a dulled sense of calm. Grimmjow just stared down at the deep smoking ditch carved into the ground far below. The length was a good portion of the city's diameter, almost extending the whole way from one side to the other. "What the hell was that?! A cero?"

"The boss isn't taking this lightly anymore." Grimmjow's voice came from just over Renji's shoulder. He'd let his attention shift, a fatal mistake as the espada had moved behind him without even being noticed. "Sorry, but our little fight is getting cut short." Grimmjow had his back to Renji, and pressed his elbow against the captain's back. Flexing his arm three small green darts punched into the man's back, visibly shaking him with the force in which they struck. With that single blow Renji could only watch as his Bankai fell to pieces all around him. After all that, in just three hits he felt his spirit energy just fall apart. Overwhelmed by three blows to his back. "Take some comfort, shinigami. This was a good fight. Maybe when we meet again you'll take me a little more seriously. That way, when I finish you, it won't feel like a mercy killing." And he was gone.

Renji finally struck the unforgiving earth. He'd had enough trouble getting a gasp of air, let alone slowing himself down. His sword was in shambles, his strength gone, and his pride in ruins. He could do only one thing now. He grasped his communicator, thankfully still intact. "This is Captain Abarai… we've been overpowered. We need… reinforcements. Kurosaki… is here."

* * *

The ditch Ichigo's cero had sliced through the ground was still smoldering. Grimmjow looked this way and that as he walked through it. He came to a stop, looking at a hand that dangled from the edge of the ditch. It was a small hand, and an equally small woman. She was laid flat, her eyes half-open in a blank, deadened stare. Grimmjow ascended the side and walked over, keeping a close eye for any movement. Finally, satsified nothing was going to happen, he kneeled next to her and examined the wounded shinigami closely.

"Well, this girl looks like she had a rough bout with the boss." Grimmjow poked Soi Fon with his finger. "Still alive though. Burnt, sliced up, and pretty much broke… but alive. Maybe he's losing his touch, she still has a face." Standing he stretched and looked around. He didn't see Ichigo anywhere. In fact he didn't even sense him. "Hiding his spirit pressure away. He's looking for some 'alone time.' Bleh, sentimentality makes me sick."

Flicking his hand through the air, Grimmjow waited. He did it again, still nothing. "What the hell?" He tried two more times to open the garganta, all to no effect. He couldn't open the doorway at all. "Oh, this ain't good."


	9. The Ultimate Price

**I originally meant this to be two chapters, but after writing it that way... no, it wasn't happening. This one kind of drags as it is, but so important! I just had to write it.**

* * *

The silence seemed so vast now compared to the battles that occurred on and above the ruined city. Over one of the crumbling streets Ichigo strode slowly, as if counting every step he took. He finally stopped, looking out at the rubble-pile that had once been his home. There was nothing left. Just broken glass, cracked walls, burnt grass. The destructive powers that had destroyed the city had spared no one, his home being no exception.

As he watched all this he felt a small hand press against him. Rukia was fighting another tremor. She barely had the ability to speak now, her eyes it seemed shut permanently. Ichigo just looked at this and felt utterly helpless. So much was going on, so much had happened so fast. It hurt just to try and think about it. He'd tried to make himself forget, for the longest time he convinced himself that all ties were broken. What had once been was no more, he'd said it himself. All that time it was anger winning over his heart and nothing more. He'd covered his own eyes to the truth, something he'd promised never to do again.

"I'm sorry," He spoke, gazing to the horizon. He couldn't bring himself to look down, even as he held her trembling body to his. "I was too late… like always. I only wanted… honestly I don't even know anymore." Finally bringing himself to look at Rukia, Ichigo saw her cringe in pain. Her breaths were shallow as the crests grew larger every passing moment. "Why didn't you hate me like the others? Why didn't you just try and kill me like you were supposed to? You didn't curse my name; you didn't even try to attack me. It would have been so much easier… so easy to forget if I knew you despised me! Even when I hurt you, captured you, forced you to see what has become of me… why did I never see what I wanted in your eyes?!"

Her heartbeat was weakening, slower and softer with every rhythm. The single tear showed itself again, slowly making its way down her cheek. She was in so much pain, and Ichigo could see it. "WHY?! Why when I looked into your eyes I only saw sadness?! I gave you every reason to loathe me, every reason to fear me! Why didn't you? Tell me!!"

"I… loved… you…" Her voice was so weak it would have been shamed by a whisper. But those tiny words held the power to twist Ichigo's insides into knots. He felt the icy grip of dread claw at his veins, wrapping every inch of him in its wintery embrace. Something that truly mattered was slipping, and that alone pushed a cold horror into Ichigo's mind. The realization of it all came rushing back to him. All of it so fast that he couldn't fight it. He'd spent so many years of denial, so much time trying to forget. How blind he had been. His hate and his pride had covered his eyes to what mattered most.

Ichigo fell to his knees as he hugged Rukia close to him, eyes clenched shut as tears poured from them. "I was so stupid! I've always been a fool, and now this is all my fault! Rukia, please! I can't lose you. I've lost everyone else, not you too!"

Ichigo wiped his face. He was a grown man, he should not be crying. But try as he may, he could not stop the tears. So many memories, so many faces, all lost. Those shattered remains that still lingered were only shadows of what once was, hiding behind the fragments of masks. All of it because of one day. "When will they stop? Why must everything I love be ripped from my hands? They won't let me have even a single piece of life! Betrayed, banished, and forced to endure… forced to endure… so much, and now you! I can't lose you Rukia!"

Ichigo's eyes clenched tighter. For all his combat prowess, for the unimaginable fury he could unleash, it was all for naught when faced with this. As he let the tears fall Ichigo felt something soft against his cheek. It traced the deep scar that curved under his chin before covering his mouth. It felt like smooth, delicate fingers. Ichigo opened his eyes and looked into hers. She had fought with all her might to look at him, touch him, and smile. It wasn't a smile wracked with pain, but calm and serene. "You idiot. You haven't changed at all." Her voice, it sounded almost normal. "The biggest battles you fight are always with yourself." Rukia pulled herself up, giving every last bit of effort to this last act. She drew herself to him and before he even realized what was happening, she kissed him. It was the first time in so many years. Not since simpler times, younger days.

Ichigo hoped the moment would freeze. Time would stop, and he could share that single spot in life for all eternity. He held her to him, not ever wanting to give her up. As long as he held her, she would be fine. He begged in his mind that as long as they were together, everything would be alright. But, like all others, the moment passed. Rukia looked into his eyes and he looked back."I never stopped… hoping… Ichigo..."

The icy fingers coiled around Ichigo's veins as he watched Rukia's arm go limp. He cradled her head with his free hand, looking desperately for a flicker of life. "Don't leave me alone… please." She didn't answer, she couldn't. There was no longer a beating heart in her chest. Ichigo shuddered, gazing down at the first woman who had ever told him she loved him. The first kiss, the first night under the stars… all of it with her. All of it… gone.

Ichigo did not cry, did not shout, he roared. This was no human sound, nor shallow whimper of a hollow cry escaping his lips. With a wave of spiritual pressure he crushed the ground around him to powder he let out a howl that shook the whole city. A howl of loss and pure despair that no living thing or spirit had ever heard before. It was all gone. Everyone, everything, all of it torn away. In his grief Ichigo felt a chilling twitch crawl up his spine. With it came a voice, laughing in his mind."_Such a display, all over some little girl. Sheh._"

* * *

The city was gone. Ichigo looked down, so was Rukia. Only blue sky and white clouds in all directions. Up, down, left, right… all over. The only other thing there with him was a cold presence like some creeping shapeless thing all around him. "_You bawl and you cry and you weep, over what? Some soul reaper that didn't even have the courage to stand up to us! This is embarrassing._"

"She believed in us and we sat and did nothing! We let her die, we could have helped her!"

"_We wanted her dead! She's our enemy, they all deserve to die! She betrayed __**us**__, don't you remember? Where was she when those bastards killed everyone you lived to protect? Where was she when we were thrown back to Hueco Mundo? And where did she stand when we finally returned? With them, that's where!!_"

"We can't just let her die like this! I won't let this happen!"

"_If you're so desperate about this then don't. Just bring her back the same way as the others. Use it, and she'll live. That simple._"

"No! She'll end up like Fade if I bring her back that way. She'll never be the same, no memory of who she was!"

"_Oh, come on! Do I have to do everything for you? We have the power to do anything we ever wanted! If saving her is the only thing that matters to you then fine._"

"You know a way? If you know, then tell me!" Before him Ichigo watched as the white-skinned mirror of himself appeared, staring menacingly forward with the same unblinking eyes he now bore.

"_Give it back to her. Give back her life, by using your own. Give her the life you have, and she'll come back. But, that means giving her everything. All the memories, all the pain, all the hate, all of it! Do you think her little mind can take it? Even still, would we survive it?_"

"I'll do what I have to do. I've blinded myself to the truth for the last time. I'll do this even if it kills me."

"_If you die it'll be a problem for me. I've told you that before._"

"If she dies now it won't matter if we're alive or dead. There'll be nothing left."

"_If you die then all your hard work will be for nothing! All you've done won't mean a thing!_"

"Then I won't fail! Now give it to me, or do I need to show you again why I am king here." With a sly grin the mirror just held out his hand, in it was a tiny white ball.

"_Fine, have it your way._"

* * *

In the midst of Ichigo's destructive roar a black dot appeared on his chest. It grew wider and wider as it formed inwards, the beginnings of his transformation. As the hollow hole grew on his chest a pair of horns like crooked blades slowly materialized from Ichigo's mask fragments. Finally, halfway through this change his roar finally abated. Placing his hand over the black pit in his chest Ichigo reached inside and took hold of something. He hissed as he drew it out, a flow of blood following after what had been removed. Like a large white marble, an object kept safe and hidden within his own body.

The object pulsed, as if within it were the beatings of a tiny life all of its own. Drawing his hand across the stream of blood from the hollow hole, Ichigo clenched the ball tightly and let the red drops cover it. Already it was beginning to glitter as he held it over Rukia. The light within it was becoming so bright its rays shone through the gaps of his fingers like the shining of the rising sun. Ichigo gently placed Rukia on her back as he kept the orb over her. It was all or nothing, and he chanted it in his mind as he broke one of his horns away from his forming mask. He placed this on her chest, covering it with her hands. "_You know this is going to hurt worse than anything you've ever experienced, ever dreamed of! __**IF **__it doesn't kill us… come on, this is stupid! Just let her go, she isn't worth it!_"

"Shut up, you're not in charge of anything. You have no say, and if I have the chance to change this I will." Taking a deep breath Ichigo pressed the orb against his broken horn in Rukia's hands. The both of them were suddenly bathed in blinding white light. All the energy Ichigo had unleashed came rushing back, swirling around them like a whirlwind made of pure spiritual pressure. It spun faster and faster, tearing up the surroundings with destructive abandon.

Within this storm, though the winds tore at him, Ichigo held his hand steady. His own energy was turning inside out, but still he didn't waver. The orb's pulses increased in speed, each brighter than the last. Through the shriek of the whirling spirit energy a loud cry could just barely be heard. Ichigo was shouting, but not with the inhuman ferocity as before. This was a cry of pain, one that could only be brought by the worst of agonies. Even still he kept his hand firmly placed over the broken horn. The orb's light was washing over Rukia now, illuminating her like an angel's embrace.

Blood was streaming from Ichigo's eyes now as black cracks spread out from them. The same cracks were forming from his chest hole, blood pouring from them as well. Even his partially formed mask was breaking apart, his remaining horn crumbling into flakes of white and red. It was as if he were simply coming apart, his body ready to fall to pieces at any moment. Despite this Ichigo pushed forward, forcing everything he could muster into the orb. His power, his strength, his very soul. Everything.

As the pulses continued to speed up, the whirlwind around them began to condense, forcing itself lower and lower until it was nothing more than a spinning ball. It spun with such strength that everything around it was pulled up and flung away. The power was truly a sight as this whirling ball of spiritual pressure began to take on a similar light as the orb inside of it. It gave off a blinding glare as it circled, faster and faster with every turn. Each turn accompanied by a pulse of radiance, like a tiny star trying to break from a shell.

Then, all of a sudden, it stopped. No movement, only the powerful glow from the large ball as it pulsated. Like a heartbeat it gave off a steady rhythm. Slowly the beats began to increase in tempo as a beam of light from the top shot into the sky. It parted the clouds, passing straight through the barrier as if it weren't even there. The ball swirled upwards again, this time forming itself into a shining pillar of pure white light. It was beautiful.

At its base Ichigo had spread his arms, Rukia floating in front of him as he spoke something. The horn she had held under her hands was gone as the tiny orb that hovered above her shimmered like a strobe, spreading its light over her body. Ichigo on the other hand could not have looked worse. His face was bent in anguish as he fought against the torrents of energy the orb was releasing. He was forcing his hands towards it, pushing them closer and closer as the orb burned away the flesh of his palms. It ate at the muscles as the very bones could soon be seen. Despite it all he fought, even if he was blown apart he would not quit. Grasping the orb between both hands, Ichigo gave one last push and pressed the orb down to touch Rukia.

The moment he did the entire pillar of light collapsed. The two disappeared within it as a noiseless wave of white spread out across the city. This time, there was no destruction, no overwhelming force of power. Just the soft white rush as if some heavenly being was spreading its wings. And as this too passed by, the city was silent again.


	10. Soul of the Warrior King

**Momo and Izuru for the win!**

* * *

"The spiritual release is calming down, Captain Ise. Whatever it was it's dissipating, albeit slowly."

"Do we have any information on the status of the second and eleventh division commanders?

"At the time of Captain Abarai's emergency transmission we had a positive reading on both of them, though one was very weak. Now… there is too much interference to know." The sensor screen confirmed what the technician said. "We have successfully blocked the use of a garganta portal in or out of the city. The issue now is whether or not it will hold after that pressure cascade… to be honest we don't know."

"If the traitor is there, we can't make any sudden moves… but if he fought against either of our comrades in the human world we can only hope he was wounded somehow in the battle. Perhaps this is the best chance we have." Captain Kira pointed out as he crossed his arms.

"If we take Kurosaki into custody then the attack on Hueco Mundo may not even be necessary. Izuru is right, we should take this opportunity."

"We can't know that, Captain Hinamori. Nor should any rash moves be made at this time. That spiritual pressure wave that just blanketed the city was more intense than anything we have ever encountered… ever. It's too dangerous."

"We have to try. Renji is my friend and I'm not about to just leave him there to die."

"You could get yourself killed."

"That's why I'm going with him, Captain Ise." Momo stood next to Izuru with as serious an expression as she could manage. It was almost comical just how much shorter she was than him.

"Kurosaki is not a power that can be challenged by anything less than a soul reaper of captain level. If Momo and I both go, as well as our lieutenants, we have a good chance of stopping this senseless conflict before it starts."

"He's right, no more fighting would need occur if we have their leader in our possession." Nanao just looked at the two of them before correcting her glasses. She wished some of the more senior captains such as her predecessor were still around. Their council was sorely missed, even now after so long. "Very well, I will inform the other captains of this. We must retrieve our wounded, and if possible the renegade and what she stole. Kurosaki is not your priority, but if the opportunity arises take it."

Izuru and Momo both nodded and left the technology department's surveillance station behind them. Neither uttered a word as they walked on towards the gate. They had to get moving, and quickly. The attack on Hueco Mundo was close by, so much so that many of the corridors and paths through the Seireitei were empty. The forces were collecting together for the coming invasion. Beside this, with two captains wounded, one likely on the verge of death, action was now more than just necessary. It was vital. For them both this had taken on a personal edge, it was Renji in trouble. They had too much history together to just stand by and do nothing.

After so much time in silence Momo finally spoke up, her soft voice holding obvious anxiety. "We're not taking our vice-captains, are we?"

"You know as well as I do if this takes a turn for the worse someone has to take our place in leadership."

"But Izuru, can just the two of us do this?"

"We have to. Captain Hitsugaya gave his life to try and stop Kurosaki before. You of all people would not have forgotten that." Momo stopped, her hand gripping the handle of her sword so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her long hair covering what was no doubt an expression of pain and anger. It was something she most definitely had not forgotten. "If I could I would bring him before the Central 46 myself to be judged for his crimes… but he's so strong."

"That's exactly what we're going to try and accomplish should we succeed. As long as we can prevent the enemy's escape, and remove the possibility of their receiving reinforcements than we have a chance. A slim one, but a chance still. We have to hurry, our comrade needs us."

"And Kuchiki Rukia? What about her?"

"I can't be sure. I'm not even certain she is still alive. In the unlikely event she has defected… we'll consider our options if the situation presents itself."

"… I understand."

* * *

"Ugh…" Grimmjow rolled onto his back, eyes fluttering as he tried to regain his senses. "What a rush." Struggling to his feet the espada lost his balance and fell flat on his face. He'd already been crushed, thrown, slammed down, thrown again, and finally pulled across the landscape on his face all in the span of just a few minutes. The spiritual pressure that had enveloped the city had been undeniable. There was no other way of explaining it. No way of defending against it; only surviving its power. That alone had been difficult enough.

Pushing himself up to his feet Grimmjow rubbed a hand on the back of his neck and gave a quick once-over of his surroundings. "He remodeled the whole damn city… I haven't felt that kind of energy since he brought back… oh damn it, BOSS! Where the hell did you go?! BOSS!!" Grimmjow took a step and winced, the storm of spirit energy had exacerbated his wounds considerably. To make things even worse he couldn't even open a portal back to Hueco Mundo, something was blocking his attempts.

Making up his mind Grimmjow took off following the strongest source of spiritual energy. The lingering flows of it were making it hard to sense anything directly. He knew it had to have been Ichigo's handiwork; that meant the man was still somewhere in the city. "This is ridiculous. I can't even leave, and if I could and I did Neriel would **kill** me. Then Tia would kill whatever was left after that… Ergh, lucky me. Damn it, he has all the girls on his side!" Closing his eyes Grimmjow focused, letting the whole world fade away as he tried to home on any major sources of spirit pressure. "Damn it… whatever that moron did… I can't sense shit!" Kicking a piece of upraised concrete Grimmjow watched as it fell over, raising an eyebrow as he looked past the obstacle. The thick chunk of stone fell away exposing a crater in the distance. Shaking his head as he looked at it Grimmjow had a hard time not chuckling. "That's probably him."

Appearing on the edge of the steep slope downwards Grimmjow winced again as he placed a hand on his shoulder. It hurt to use even a single Sonido jump. Ichigo's power had done its share to him that even a simple technique recoiled against the espada. Looking down to the center of the crater he saw Ichigo lying on his back. Across his chest the shinigami was laid on him, neither moving at all. "Oh… that's great." Sliding down the incline Grimmjow looked at Ichigo's face. "You have no idea how good this would have made me feel it is was me that did this. But I didn't, so you don't have the luxury of dying. Wake up!" A powerful backhand across Ichigo's face didn't even coax a twitch from him. Grimmjow scowled, not a good sign. He lifted Rukia off and placed his ear on Ichigo's chest, listening for anything. "Oh you better not be dead! I still owe you, you son of a bitch!" He cracked his knuckles against Ichigo's face again, then listened for even a murmur from the man's chest. "You can't go and die on me, you bastard! Wake the fuck up!"

Ichigo didn't even stir, but Grimmjow's eyes narrowed a little as he listened. He felt the tiniest flicker of spirit energy shift within the man. It was better than nothing at all, at least a glimmer of hope. Muttering curses to himself Grimmjow took Rukia and lifted her up while grabbing Ichigo's arm and swinging it over his shoulders. Lifting both of them, Grimmjow growled with the effort. "God, you heavy piece of… Ergh!" About to make his move Grimmjow looked at the girl draped over his right arm. She was bent over it like a rag doll. "After all I did to try and kill this midget… damn it. I'm chalking this up as one less I owe you, Kurosaki." Grimmjow started his climb back up the side. He couldn't even muster a Sonido jump with the two he drug up the side, so it was up to brute strength now. "Oof! Damn it boss, go on a diet!"

The effort it took to carry the two from out of the crater almost winded Grimmjow as he reached the top. He felt like dropping them both and just walking off, but he wasn't about to just give up on this. "One more repaid, boss. Now… ugh… I only owe you my life… uh… ten or so more times over. And now, I'm talking to myself… You're heavy! And so are you, you little midget! Why the hell are you both so damn heavy?! This should not be this hard!"

A few more steps brought Grimmjow to another stop. Only this time it was because he felt the drastic shift in the surrounding spiritual aura. Despite all the latent energy in the air this increase was easily noticed, in fact it couldn't have been missed. The spike in pressure showed itself as a gateway opened high in the sky. A pair of shinigami stepped through, both of them wearing the white robe of a captain. "Oh, this is not good… do they ever run out of those guys? Come on, boss… wake up!"

Summoning the strength for a long Sonido jump Grimmjow put himself and his passengers behind a barrier of what had once been a wall, or perhaps a street. Whatever it had been the pile of rocks provided cover as he set the two down against it, grumbling at the ache the single jump had brought him. "Perfect plan, you idiot. Go and try to kill yourself, boss. Great idea!" Ichigo didn't even stir, Rukia just as motionless as him. If it weren't for the tiny flickers of spirit energy shifting within them Grimmjow would have taken them for dead. "Hell, you both might be dead for all I know. I might just be crazy with all this spirit pressure in the air."

Looking over the pile of rocks at the newcomers Grimmjow watched as the female picked the red-haired man he had fought earlier up. She was examining him from the looks of it. "If I were in better shape… oh this is going to be my head, I just know it. I always get blamed for this shit."

* * *

"Is she okay?"

"She should be dead, but there's still a pulse. That's at least some hope to hold on to. How's Renji?"

"Unconscious. Izuru, he's pretty torn up."

"I need you to take them both back. I'll look for Kuchiki while you're gone. And don't argue, just do it."

"I'll be back as soon as I can. I won't leave you alone if you have to challenge Kurosaki."

"I'll hold you to that. Now go." Hinamori took the two wounded captains and vanished. The gate reopened and she reappeared in front of it only to flash step through as it closed. Izuru turned his attention back to the ruined city. He drew his sword, not willing to take even the single chance of being caught off guard. "Raise your head, Wabisuke!" The zanpakutou began to glow as the blade suddenly twisted wildly, growing and shrinking and moving around like a wounded snake until it finally reformed with the crooked end. "There's no way of tracking anything in this spiritual haze. The only way is by sight." Crouching slightly Izuru leapt, shooting high into the sky. He searched the ground below, looking for any sign of movement, color, or just anything in general. Now that the wounded had been evacuated the one ones remaining were enemies.

His eyes finally locked onto something, a tiny speck of blue far below. "Grimmjow Jeagerjaques." It took only a single flash step to be standing directly behind the espada. His head was turning, a look of utter surprise etched over his features. Izuru could see now, the man carried serious injuries. No wonder he was trying to hide. The injuries were enough to make him seem to move in slow motion to the captain. A single swing and Grimmjow was sent spinning and bouncing over the rocky ground. Izuru was about to follow when he froze. There, lying motionless against the pile of rocks and unearthed dirt was the very man that had struck fear into the hearts of all soul society for twenty-five years. The traitor, Kurosaki Ichigo, and he looked as if he couldn't even open an eye much less defend himself. To make this find even sweeter, beside him was the renegade captain, Kuchiki Rukia. Izuru could not help but smirk.

Walking closer to Ichigo, Izuru lifted his sword and pressed the flat tip under Ichigo's chin and lifted his head. No response at all. "How the fates must shine on us for this gift. Momo would want me to bring you back to soul society so you can stand trial, but you've caused us all so much pain. Penance must be given for your crimes, Kurosaki. By my blade, those you have wronged, those you have murdered shall be avenged." He brought his arm back, readying his weapon for the beheading strike. It didn't matter if he already looked as though he had passed on, Izuru had to be sure. It would only take a single swift stroke and everything would finally be over.

His sword swung down, Ichigo's neck its willing victim. Wabisuke struck, but had not reached its target. The echoing sound of metal meeting metal filled the air along with a shower of sparks as Grimmjow pushed his feet deeper into place. "Forgot about me already?"

"What need was there to notice you? You're about to fall over on your own. Don't make me kill you too."

"I do get that a lot. What say you fight a real opponent that can return blow for blow!" Pushing the captain away from him Grimmjow swung his zanpakutou for the man's heart, but his strike was immediately parried. In a flurry he was blocking hit after hit, each one coming closer and closer to him. Why was he slowing down? He could see the attacks just fine, but then it came. The sudden and massive weight against his arm dragging his whole body down as the blade in hand broke through the stone beneath his feet. "The power to double the weight every time it strikes an object. That is my zanpakutou's power."

"Doubles something's weight? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"

"Yet there you kneel, head bowed as one repentant. You didn't, nor do you stand a chance, espada. Like I said, don't make me kill you too." Grimmjow just sneered as her pressed his fingers against the flat of his blade. But before he could utter a word twenty cuts opened over his whole body. Just like his sword Grimmjow collapsed to the ground, his weight crushing everything beneath him. After a moment of fighting, he found he couldn't move at all. He was paralyzed. "All objects it strikes. You are forty times heavier than you were a moment ago. You cannot even lift a finger. As I said, you didn't stand a chance."

Grimmjow could only stare, his body refusing to respond. It was like a massive force was crushing down on him, threatening to grin his bones to dust at any moment. This captain was lifting his sword again, ready to take Ichigo's head. There was a time when Grimmjow wouldn't have been happier to see this. But after so long, after experiencing so much side-by-side with him... Grimmjow fought with all he had to raise an arm. He couldn't leave his companion of nearly twenty years to die in such a manner! His arm had to move, he couldn't let this happen! It was HIS duty to defeat Ichigo! One day it would be HIS triumph, and no others! His arm had to move! He had the strength, he did not bear the number two for nothing!

* * *

"This is judgment, Kurosaki Ichigo." Izuru raised his sword again, this time there would be no interruption. He would end this traitor once and for all. Momo would see her friend had been avenged, and all of soul society would be at peace again. It would take only one swing, and nothing would stand in its way. "Grind, Pantera!" The shout came from the espada, but that was impossible. He was immobilized! Izuru spun around just as a biting wave of spiritual pressure washed over him. He covered his face with an arm as an earsplitting roar broke the silence that had been.

Grimmjow had lifted his head and uttered a roar that nearly rivaled Ichigo's as he lifted his arms high. Claws reaching for the heavens, tail snapping like a whip behind him as his cry finally subdued. Izuru just gripped his sword to be ready, this was resurrection. The real power of an arrancar's sword, the true form of its user. The odds no longer looked so favorable. "Do you see this scar, shinigami?" Grimmjow snarled as he pointed to a discolored streak across his chest. "There is only one man who I have sworn to one day surpass. The man who gave me this scar. You cannot take his life! I won't allow it! Now fighting someone worthy, you coward!"

Both the warriors launched at each other, shunpo matching against sonido. Izuru moved with all the speed he could afford, his sword like a whistling flash of light. But despite this he could not even touch his opponent. The espada was moving with such remarkable speed it was almost mind-boggling. Each attack met nothing, every swing useless. It was like trying to hit a ghost. Grimmjow took his time, waiting for a proper opening. He saw it, a wider swing than normal. This was the perfect opportunity.

A pair of kicks connected against the captain's head and he was sent flying from the sheer brute force of the blows. Digging Wabisuke into the earth below him Izuru ground to a halt and looked up for the follow-up, but none came. The claws on the espada's feet-turned-paws had cut deep gashes across his cheek and forehead. "Agh… how? He was so weak before."

"Are you that stupid, shinigami?" Grimmjow cracked a fist into Izuru's back before vanishing as the captain swung at him. "Releasing my blade heals all my minor injuries, as well as undoing the power of your stupid-looking sword!" He reappeared at Izuru's side and swept a paw beneath the legs of his opponent. Swinging his other leg up Grimmjow crushed it into the captain's stomach and drove him down into the ground. "This is the price for underestimating me!"

Izuru leapt away right before the espada stomped a paw into the ground where he had been not a second before. Now was his advantage, and he took it. A flash step and he was behind the arrancar, sword whistling as he approached. It was not to be. Puffs of mist appeared from the espada's elbows and suddenly Izuru was deflecting a hail of green darts that moved with near blinding speed. One barely missed by piercing through his jacket and the back of his clothing exploded from the force of its passing. "Come on, shinigami! I stooped to releasing my sword, at least give me a battle worth fighting! This is boring!"

A red light appeared in each of Grimmjow's hands, charging almost instantaneously. Already the first cero was firing, and Izuru just barely dodged it. He felt the heat from the blast on his skin, having to turn his head away from the intensity of it. If one of those hit him he would be in serious trouble. The other cero burst forth, and was met by Wabisuke which shook in Izuru's hands. The power of this red beam was almost overwhelming, the change from the unreleased form to this was incredible. Like a whole different entity had taken to the battlefield. Izuru's thoughts were interrupted as Grimmjow appeared in front of him and delivered a punishing kick home to the captain's midsection.

"I've defeated a Bankai with less, shinigami! You're going to die for the cowardice you showed! I bow my head to NO MAN!" Blue lights began to spread from Grimmjow's fingers, rising higher and higher into the sky. "I'll show you how a true warrior does battle!" The blue lights from his claws followed as Grimmjow slashed out at Izuru. The desgarron sliced into the ground and threw dirt and rock up from their impact. They had just missed their target, but Grimmjow was already releasing the second volley from his other hand. "A warrior fights with their fists, with their swords, with every weapon at their disposal!" Izuru felt the bite of the desgarron as he held a deep slash in his arm. He wouldn't be able to keep dodging them for long. He didn't dare try to parry after a simple cero had almost overpowered his defenses. "You are no warrior! You're nothing more than an executioner!" Bringing both hands back Grimmjow readied the final blow. "You have no purpose on the fields where true men fight! Now die!!"

"Snap, Tobiume!" A great red ball of fire smashed into Grimmjow's back and he snarled. Whirling around he was met by two more bursts of energy that struck him head-on. He was sent sliding backwards, arms crossed in front of his head to block any more attacks. "Izuru!"

"Momo, get out of here! He'll kill you!"

"Not when I can help! Destruction arts number eighty-eight! Heavenly Dragon Thunder Cannon!" From Tobiume's whole length a gigantic rush of blue light and electricity burst forth and surged towards Grimmjow. He quickly drew a claw across his palm as a blue orb materialized in his hand. Holding his arm straight out he grasped the elbow with his other hand and met the kido spell with his Gran Rey. The two destructive forces met, the resulting explosion was nothing short of spectacular, filling almost the whole sky with smoke and ash as the light diminished. Grimmjow breathed out as he lowered his arm, but in that moment he realized a mistake. The smoke, the flash, they were distractions. He sensed it just in time.

He shot to the side as Izuru sliced into the air where he had just been. He couldn't let that blade touch him, it would mean certain defeat now if it delivered even one nick. The other captain was behind him and Grimmjow reacted by released a hail of darts at her, he had other problems to deal with at the moment. It was more than enough to kill her ten times over if they all struck anyway. "Binding arts number thirty-nine! Arc Shield!" The glowing shield sparked to life as the darts struck it. Some deflected, others dug in while a few even missed. Momo learned too late though that the spell was not enough to stop such a barrage. Two of the green missiles breached her shield and imbedded themselves into her stomach. The force of it folded her almost in half. "Momo!" Grimmjow grabbed Izuru's remaining sleeve and drew him in, raking his claws across the man's shoulder before sending him hurtling at the ground with another kick. "Don't get distracted now! We're having so much fun!"

"Destruction arts number ninety! Black Coffin!" The dark lines surrounded Grimmjow as he looked back at the girl. She was holding her stomach in pain, but her sword was pointed right at him. His world was suddenly plunged into darkness as the walls of the spell closed around him. No sound, no smells, no sense of spirit energy at all. As if everything had been ripped away and replaced with nothingness. He knew this was some kind of attack, and that's when he remembered. Aizen had used this very technique before. He knew it, though only by sight and its use on another. The victim of its power had not survived it. "Shit."

Momo completed the spell as the energy pikes drove into the coffin. After a moment the darkness disappeared, and there Grimmjow stood. Blood streamed from cuts all over his body, but still he stood. A scowl etched over his face as the blades on his arms and legs began to lengthen. He was readying some new attack, and already the ones he had employed were powerful enough. Momo could not give him a chance to recover. She raised her sword and launched another series of fireballs at him. He dodged a few, but one struck home while a second grazed his arm. He was slowing down. "Izuru, he's hurt! Now's our chance! Binding arts number nine! Disintigrating circle!" The electric yellow cord shot out from her fingers and wrapped around Grimmjow's arms and chest, tightening like a noose. Swinging her sword against the cord as hard as she could Momo took him with the motion and crushed the espada against the rubble below. "Binding arts number sixty-two! Hundred Steps Fence!"

The white rods fell from the sky all over Grimmjow, snagging him to the ground beneath him. Izuru did waste a moment as he pounced. He struck Grimmjow as many times as he could with his zanpakutou, he had to deal enough blows for the effect to be truly effective. This was no easy opponent to overcome through just a few quick blows. The espada's arm moved, the captain leapt away as a hail of darts were launched after him. Not a single one hit its target. "That's twenty-seven strikes, espada! You probably can't even stand now! Give up!" But this was not the case. Both captains watched in amazement as, despite what he was told, despite the weight on his whole body, Grimmjow pushed to his feet. He was unsteady, fighting every moment to remain upright, but he was on his feet. "So, this is soul society's true face. It doesn't matter how you win,as long as you do... I see."

"Destruction arts number sixty-three! Thunder Roar Cannon!" The arc of lightning twisted out from Momo's hand and struck Grimmjow's chest. He writhed as the electricity tore through him. After a moment the attack ceased. He still stood, smoke rising from his whole body as he looked as if he had just been set on fire. "I see why he hates you… so much… Cowards..." His head moving to look at the sky Grimmjow collapsed to his knees before landing face first on the unforgiving ground.

The Panther King had been defeated.

* * *

**The war approaches, step by step. The invasion is imminent, and now there is nothing stopping Soul Society from entering the deserts of Hueco Mundo.**


	11. Helpless

**This chapter took too long for me to write, has too much happening in it, and yet not enough at all... AARRRGGH!! By far this was the most annoying due to just how many rewrites I had to endure thanks to it, but it's done oh sweet Jesus thank you IT'S DONE!"**

* * *

Nelliel pushed open the doors to the throne room and entered with a quickness to her step. The air held a biting frost, and she breathed out clouds of vapor as she approached the window-like viewer to the human world. She'd only just received the news and already Sana and Tia had beaten her there. Their attention locked on the events occurring. They both had their arms folded across their chests, a common stance for Tia but only one Sana showed when she was frustrated. Something bad had to be happening. "What's going on?"

"Ichigo went into the human world, took Grimmjow with him." Sana's voice was low, reserved.

"What? Why?"

"Rukia." A third voice sent a chill running up Nelliel's spine. She turned and saw the man who had spoken, face hidden with the folds of a sash he wore about his head. The only thing she could see was the long silver hair that ran like a glacier behind him, and those piercing eyes that held a icy intensity. Ichigo's second in command, he must have only just arrived back at the fortress. "He went back for Rukia."

"The shinigami we released?"

"She was hunted down by her own. Something must have happened." Tia's strong voice was accompanied by the puff of vapor through her tall collar. It almost made her words seem ominous. "Perhaps our doing, I should think."

"Nell, Ichigo's in trouble down there." No matter how hard we've tried we can't open a doorway to reach him. They're trapped."

"You said Grimmjow was with him?"

"See for yourself… but it doesn't look good." Sana pointed to an aerial battle raging, and she focused on the three combatants. Grimmjow was locked in combat with two shinigami, both of whom were captains. "He released his sword, and they still have the upper hand. He's been fighting them for the past few minutes now."

"And we can do nothing at all?"

"Soul Society has blocked us from entering the living world," the silver-haired man said. His chilling voice as sharp as a dagger's edge. The next few moments were filled by a eerie silence. The window showed only images, not sounds. They all watched as Grimmjow was struck by another kido spell. Nelliel observed this with a growing nervousness; her friend would not last much longer. "Where is Ichigo? What happened to him?" The window shifted to show an image of where the man was laid against the rocks. Nelliel audibly gasped as she covered her mouth with her hands. "No… Sana, what happened to him?"

"We're not sure. His spiritual energy is so weak it may as well not be there at all."

"But, that's not possible… Not for… Ichigo." Nelliel just stared; she'd never seen him so lifeless.

"My brother would not die so easily; not until he'd spent every last ounce of strength he has," Tia said with a confidence that transcended her subtle voice. While her expression was hidden her eyes spoke words of their own. That confidence proved contagious when Tia's gaze met Nelliel's. "Ichigo will make it, he always does, Nell."

"Not sitting on his butt he won't," Sana huffed with growing aggravation.

"As long as he has even a flicker of spiritual pressure, there's hope. He's not the sort of person to give up. I know him better than that."

"Glad to see you're so confident, Nell." Sana's growl sounded more like an animal's than anything. After a moment or two she huffed in frustration before turning to storm out. "Where are you going?" The silver-haired man's voice made the espada hesitate for a second. She didn't even turn to face him when she finally answered. "I'm going to give Szayel some motivation. He's not working fast enough on this problem." With that said she was gone. A dead run out the doors and back into the halls of the fortress. Nelliel just watched, almost expecting some outrageous burst of shouting or yelling as the fifth often did when she was angry. There was none. Her attention returning to the window was met by Grimmjow's resistance ended by a bolt of lightning. "Grimmjow!" She turned away, she couldn't watch it anymore. The shinigami had won, Grimmjow was finished. "His wounds were too severe for him to do anything but slow them down." Nelliel felt the sharp edge of anger at the silver-haired man's words. He was always so collected, so cool-headed no matter the situation. It nearly turned her stomach at his indifference. "We should have helped them! We should have done something!"

"We cannot reach them, and even if we could you refuse to fight on principle. There's nothing we can do but watch and wait."

"Ialso refuse to believe we can't do anything but sit here! There must be something! They're going to kill them!"

"It may already be too late."

"And thus your loyalties are so fair weather? It is never too late, I am proof." Tia's commanding voice demanded attention as she regarded the man with a fleeting glance. Her gaze actually drew his own blue-green eyes to hers. They seemed to sparkle like stars from the confines of his cloth mask, and hers burned with the same inner fire. Tia was growing angry herself. "Do you not owe my brother your life? Don't we all? Isn't everything we've been given here thanks to him? My continued existence most of all, and the lives of many others who walk these halls. This is how we repay him? Gritting our teeth and tapping our feet? I'm ashamed if this is all we're willing to do."

"What else can we do?"

"We can have faith." They both looked at Nelliel as she played with a lock of her long hair. She was nervous, but her words were strong. "We have to believe Ichigo will pull through; in the very least survive this nightmare."

"Your devotion is inspirational, Nelliel Tu Oderschvank. Even after everything that's happened, you have faith he will find the strength to persevere?"

"Don't you? After being by his side for so many years don't you have the slightest bit of confidence he'll stand strong?"

"I do. After all the years we've fought side by side, I honestly do believe he will pull through. Just like he always does." Reaching up to the liquid surface of the window the silver-haired man drew his fingers over the image of Momo, his touch spreading ripples over the watery images. He could tell the battle had drained her, she was falling to her knees in exhaustion. "You fear he may die… I don't. I fear what he will do when he wakes up." With an about face the silver-haired man marched towards the door, his freezing aura following him as he went. "Where are you going?"

"To do something other than wait and watch. There's too much at risk now to simply do nothing. Too much that can be lost." With those words said the silver-haired man left the throne room. Tia glanced at Nelliel and gave a slight nod before following after the man. Alone now Nelliel watched the aftermath of the battle in silence. She saw Grimmjow lying in the rocks and dirt, he wasn't moving. The same could be said for Rukia and Ichigo. All three looked as if they would never rise again. "Grimmjow… Ichigo… please, come back to us."

* * *

The adrenaline was fading away, and so the pain was returning. Momo held her stomach with her free hand as the throbbing ache wracked her whole body. Izuru was a few steps away trying to stem off the flow of blood from his ragged shoulder. Both of them were worse for wear, and it was just a single opponent that had nearly done them in. "Are you alright, Momo?"

"I think so… I can't really feel my legs, but they still work. Are you-"

"I'm fine, -a few scratches. Nothing serious," he lied. His left arm was practically useless from Grimmjow's claws, and at least one of his ribs if not more were not where they were supposed to be. In fact he felt as if his entire chest had been caved in. All from a single man who had entered the battle seriously injured. "I dread seeing what else is in store for us. Four captains beaten nearly beaten to death by only two opponents." Wrapping the remains of his haori around his shoulder Izuru took hold of Wabisuke and began to make his way back to where Ichigo and Rukia were waiting. "Where are you going?"

"Kurosaki… and Kuchiki Rukia, they're over there." Momo looked past her comrade and saw the two figures leaned against the wall of crumbling stones. She began moving towards them, not even realizing she was doing so at first. Her hand gripped Tobiume's hilt tightly as she approached, her eyes were locked on the head of orange hair rising over the barrier. "Momo?"

"So long… I've waited for this moment for so long. I have to be sure. I have to!"

"Momo, stop!" But she didn't stop. She ran headlong towards the rock pile, rounding it with her sword at the ready. She just stared down at Ichigo's motionless form, unable to stop the shakes that gripped her. He didn't appear to be breathing, nor did there seem to be even a hint of spiritual pressure flowing from him. The same was for Rukia. They felt like little more than pieces of the rubble that was Karakura. No life left in either of them. "So long… and it's all been his fault. If only he'd fought with us, we would have won! If he hadn't turned on us Toshirou would still be alive! It's his fault, he betrayed us! He killed Toshirou!!" Lifting her sword Momo glared down at the defenseless Ichigo, fury dancing across her eyes as she hesitated for a moment. "It should have been me! I should have been the one to kill him!" Her sword fell, drawing a long cut over Ichigo's shoulder. She brought it back up and almost fell for the strike that would have taken Ichigo's head if it weren't for the hand that grabbed her wrist. "Let me go!"

"Momo, that's enough! Calm yourself!"

"Let go of me! Everything that ever went wrong was because of him! The battle here was lost because of him! Toshirou died trying to stop HIM!!"

"And I tried to do the same thing when my anger took me, but cutting off his head will not change what has happened! He's already dead, Momo; of that fact I have no doubt. Leave it be."

"I can't!" Tears were streaming down her face as she gritted her teeth, fighting back against Izuru's grip. "He has to suffer for what he's done to me! For what he did to Shiro-chan!"

"It's over, Momo. It's over… now, please. We'll decide what to do with the bodies after they've been returned to the Seireitei. Don't waste your effort on the dead. Just be glad we need not attack Hueco Mundo. The danger is over. Just let it go." Momo's hand fell, her sword swinging loosely from her fingers before falling. Tobiume stuck into the ground by its master's side as she wept. Her one and only enemy before her and she was denied the very thing she had so hoped for, the hidden desire for vengeance. All she could see now was that young face twenty-five years gone. "Oh… Toshirou…" She buried her face in her hands and the bitter tears ran.

Izuru didn't stop her as she turned to run. She needed a few moments, precious time to recollect herself. As he looked down at Ichigo he shook his head and kneeled to stare at the man face to face. "All this time, all the trouble you've caused us. All for something so small it hardly seems worth it." He looked at the ground around Ichigo, checking his hands, then his pockets. A cold feeling was beginning to well in the pit of Izuru's stomach. "Where is it?" Then, his heart could have stopped as he noticed something else. "Where's the book?" He looked around frantically now, desperately searching for the missing items. Rukia did not have what he looked for either. He knew full well if the book were to fall into the wrong hands it would be his sole responsibility for failing to follow orders. He had to find it, the Captain General had personally given him that order. The realization struck him as he thought hard. The whole city had been a battlefield. It could be anywhere, and time suddenly felt very short.

* * *

Momo wiped her eyes as she sat on a rock. The emotional burst was passing, but it was leaving her feeling drained. All she had accomplished, all she had done had been in his honor. Now the chance to avenge him had come and gone and she could do nothing but cry her eyes out. She felt pathetic, a captain weeping over such old memories. But there was nothing she could have done about that; her heart had always been her guide. Her emotions had always led her, it was just how she was. "Shiro-chan… I wish you were here. I wish you hadn't…" She couldn't finish or she knew she would make herself cry again. She needed to think of something happy, anything to make her smile. Momo reached into her jacket and pulled a piece of cloth out. She did smile, despite the tears, as it brought back fond memories of the past. She had sewn it with her face grinning in a cartoonish smile, just a silly thing she'd thought was funny. It had been a gift to brighten Toshirou's spirits, perhaps even edge a grin from him. She thought back to the day she'd given to to him.

"Shiro-chan! Shiro-chan!"

"It's Captain Hitsugaya! … Momo, what are you doing?" She was dancing in a circle, holding something behind her back as she grinned playfully at him.

"Look!" She shoved the handkerchief into his face and grinned, trying to mimic the cartoon face she had sewn on it.

"… What is this?"

"It's for you, silly! So you'll always remember me if you're away on a big mission!"

"Like I could forget you, Momo."

"Oh Shiro-chan, why do you have to be so mean?"

"It's Captain Hitsugaya! Stop calling me Shiro-chan, I'm just as tall as you are!"

"I didn't say anything about your height… little Shiro."

"MOMO!!!"

The memory did bring a grin to her face. She had loved teasing him. He always got so angry. The way he would get flustered always cheered her up. But, she also remembered how it had come back to her possession. It had been in the bundle of bloody white cloth the survivors had returned with. His captain's haori, the only thing they had of him left after he had sacrificed himself to force Kurosaki back into Hueco Mundo. She looked away, not able to bear staring at it a moment longer. It brought too much heartache, too much happiness that she would never have again. As she opened her eyes a sparkle caught her attention. Something not too far away, something that glimmered.

It was long, and its glossy black surface shimmered as she approached. She placed the handkerchief back where she kept it as she finally stopped over the object stuck into the ground. A sword, one she knew all too well. "Zangetsu." Without thinking she reached out and let her fingers grace the hilt of the zanpakutou. It felt like any normal sword. She gripped its hilt and pulled it from the ground, holding it in front of her as she gazed at its long, beautiful edge. It seemed to weigh nothing at all, and the black metal held a pleasant gleam to it. Almost mesmerizing. That's when she saw it. Past the sword was a book lying open on the ground, and on that open page was a fat white marble. "What is that?"

Leaning down she reached for the book. Her eyes glanced at one of the pages as her fingers touched the marble. Two words reached out to her as she grasped the white sphere. "Kira… Izuru?" Suddenly everything turned white, and a burning sensation traveled up her arm from the ball in her hand. Before she could even let it go it had vanished from her grip. She was just floating in nothingness, all around her everything was white. That's when she heard the voices.

"God, I hate those storms. You alright?"

"Yeah." Both familiar voices, but from where? Every moment Momo felt as if she could see a little more, but everything was still so blurry.

"What do you think we should do now? With all those crazy things after us, we really don't want to get caught lost in a sandstorm again. Like there's anywhere else to go though."

"We should head for the mountains then. Just until we can get our strength back. After that... we'll decide on a better course of action." She knew that voice, oh she knew it so well. It was Toshirou! Momo could have cried for delight as she reached out, trying to find him in the haze.

"Well, let's go then." Who was it he was with? And why could she not call out to them?

"Ichigo, don't forget your sword."

"Yeah, thanks… partner." Momo's heart froze over. Ichigo? Partner? What was she hearing? What was happening? She had been so overjoyed to heard Toshirou's voice she hadn't thought twice. But now… what was she listening to? Was this a dream, perhaps one of a meeting between the captains from long past? But then… sandstorms? She didn't have a clue to what any of it could mean.

* * *

Momo opened her eyes. She was lying on her back staring up at the sky. She sat up, rubbing the bump on the back of her head and grumbled. "What happened?" Shaking her head Momo felt something in her hand, she was still holding the marble. "What is this? Did it… do that to me?" She thought back to the white emptiness, to Toshirou's voice. To Ichigo calling him his partner. What could it all mean? Nothing made sense anymore. But then she knew that was the price of asking too many questions. All that was left was following orders, and even then she rarely understood them. She was too curious for her own good.

Slamming the book shut she collected it up with the marble and Zangetsu. She decided, the time for crying over bad memories was over. Now was time to be a captain. Bringing what she had found back to the rock pile she stopped and looked around. Izuru was nowhere to be found. "Izuru! Where are you? Izuru!" No answer. He must have gone to check in on something. Momo grimaced when she noticed Tobiume sticking in the ground. She could do nothing but mentally rebuke herself for such idiocy as leaving her zanpakutou just lying there. Putting the book and sword down she picked her weapon up and sealed it back to its normal form, fitting it into the sheath at her side.

She didn't see the marble fall from the top of the book, or notice as it rolled and bounced over the tiny rocks and pebbles. She wasn't even paying attention as it finally came to a rest on Ichigo's upraised palm. "Izuru! Where are you?! Come back, Izuru! Don't leave me with…" She just looked at Rukia and Ichigo and took a step back. "… Dead bodies…" She cringed, but settled down, now was no time to be afraid. She would wait, Izuru would be back soon enough. Still, she couldn't shake the spooky feeling that something or someone was watching her. It may have been her imagination but she swore she saw one of them twitch. "Izuru!!" Still no answer.

Sitting down Momo sighed and propped her chin on her hands. Her gaze fell to the book she'd found. She knew better… but she had to get her mind off the bodies lying only a few meters away from her. She picked it up and stared at the cover. No title, no markings, nothing other than a number on the spine. "This must be what Rukia stole." Momo thought hard for a moment. Just before she'd lost her balance she remembered reading something in the open pages. "Was it… It was Izuru's name. Why would his name be in here?"

She knew she shouldn't look, but curiosity was getting to her. Opening the book up to the middle, she looked at the pages. "It's just a list of names. Is this a census?" She turned a page, reading as the long list continued. "Kuchiki Byakuya, Abarai Renji, Soi Fon… a lot of people I don't know… Here's Izuru. Wait… where am I? I'm not in here, and neither is Rukia… Actually, there are a lot of names missing from this." Momo turned the book over and looked at the number again. "It's a date. Four days from today… twenty-five years ago? This is a list from… the battle over Karakura." She went through the middle pages again, glancing over the names. "But, Rukia was there… and so was Toshirou… but, their names aren't here."

A sound like rocks shifting over each other, but Momo was too involved now. She was going closer and closer to the first section of the book. The record's pages no longer held names there, they had the account of the events. "What… This isn't right. This isn't how it happened… no, no this isn't right at all." She gave a start as a hand came to rest on her shoulder. She sighed, feeling a slight pinch of relief. "Izuru, you scared-"

"Interesting reading material, Hinamori?" The book suddenly became the last thing on Momo's mind. Her hands began to shake, dropping what they held as she just stared down. She looked at the scared hand on her shoulder with horror-filled eyes. Ichigo was no longer lying next to the pile of rocks, he was kneeling right behind her. "What's wrong, cat got your tongue?"


	12. Against All Hope

**This chapter contains evilness, yea be warned... verily**

* * *

"Stay back!" The shine off Tobiume's length shown across Momo's face. Her expression was one of surprise and horror. "I said stay back!" She couldn't get her voice above a squeak. It was because of the eyes, those horrible black pits made all the worse by a devilish grin. Golden cores within the dark eyes bore through her like spikes. Momo was terrified, every nerve ending in her body and thought in her mind screamed to run, to flee from this monster. But, that tiny hint of logic still remaining knew there was no way she could get far. Nothing could outrun this foe. "What's wrong, Hinamori? Scared?"

"Stay back, you demon!"

"Demon? You're hurting my feelings; we used to be such good friends."

"You're a traitor, a murderer! I'm ashamed I ever called you my friend!"

"Murderer?" Ichigo's grin twisted split his face even more as a throaty laugh escaped his lips. "_Sheh. Such harsh words from such a little brat._" Momo suddenly felt very small indeed. Part of her wondered after the sudden change of voice, the rest of her trying to shy away from the spiritual pressure leaking out of his body. So dark, so twisted it made the whole landscape surrounding them just seem to fade into nothingness. "_You may call me murderer, but I just do what pleases me!_" Ichigo lifted his arm and Zangetsu shot out of the dirt and spun like a saw until it was in its master's grasp. Flakes of white were beginning to amass on his face, growing bigger and bigger as he took one step closer to Momo. "_Fear… Heh, I can see it in your eyes. You're trembling… you're terrified of me! HAH! I like that!_"

"What… are you? A hollow?"

"_Who cares? A hollow, a demon, a monster… take your pick! I'm all of those!_" He raised his sword, the mask on his face forming more quickly now. "_Now come on, shinigami! Let's play a little game. First one dead, LOSES!_" Zangetsu came bearing down as Momo moved to meet it with her own zanpakutou. To her shock Tobiume only shattered when the two blades met. The strength from the black blade threw her backwards to land face down in the dirt. She winced as pain tore through her stomach from the wounds it bore. Pushing over onto her back Momo rolled into a ball as she tried to quiet the aches and spikes of pain that intensified with every heartbeat.

She knew she had to get up, she had to defend herself. Looking to the hilt she still gripped in her hand Momo just gaped. Tobiume was nothing more than a jagged piece of metal poking out from the hand guard. That from just a single blow. If that was just a stroke of a blade, she didn't dare want to see what else was in store. Momo tried to stand, but the orange-headed terror landed hard right next to her and pushed her back down down. He crouched so far his face, halfway hidden within the forming mask, was only a foot from hers. "_That's it? Please, every captain I've ever tangled with has always been such a pushover. I guess you aren't any different. To think Ichigo thought so highly of your abilities! HAH! What a joke!_"

Momo gasped as she felt the hollow press a hand hard down on her stomach. The wounds were burning so horribly from the touch; they didn't appreciate being aggravated. Grimmjow's darts had done more damage than she'd first thought. "_What's this? Blood?_" He stared at his reddened hand, his near-flat mask almost complete now. It was frozen in its toothy grin, red marks like drips of crimson paint the only shift from bony white. "_Now who went and damaged the goods?_" His attention lapsed for just enough time. Momo took her chances and pushed her hand up against his masked face. "Destruction arts number fifty-four! Abolishing Flames!"

"_Huh… ARGH!_" The purple shot consumed the mask and then all of his head in a burning mass. A shriek of rage and agony pierced the air as the hollow swung its head this way and that trying to shake off the painful flames. Momo took her one and only opportunity and was on her feet in a flash. She didn't have time to be afraid anymore, she was a captain. She had served under this man for nearly four years before she was replaced by Rukia. She knew how akin he was to a hollow, more so than even a Vaizard. Never before though had she seen this side… this hollow. She remembered now what her former captain had spoken to her about in rare moments of privacy. What he had called this thing within him. He'd called it "Shirosaki, my opposite. My white inner devil." Now she knew why.

"_I'll kill you! You stupid little girl! I'll kill you!_" She heard Shirosaki screech as he fought against the last searing embers of her spell. "_I'll rip your heart out and crush it with my bare hand! I'll drain every drop of your blood onto the dirt after I've torn you in half!_" Momo refused to let the cries reach her. She had to be strong. Fate had given her a second chance, one she had wished for in the dark recesses of her mind. Now was time to fulfill those hidden desires, to not only challenge her former captain but to take revenge for the one she lost. Placing a finger on the remaining shard of her sword she drew it over as if tracing the length of the zanpakutou. As she did pieces and flakes and chips of the weapon flew to it, reforming until the blade was as good as new. With a flick of her wrist she called forth her sword. "Snap, Tobiume!"

* * *

It was no easy thing to comprehend. Even though his ears heard, Izuru's mind couldn't quite grasp the orders. The frantic cries that swarmed through the communicator only a few minutes before had been silenced. The panicked yells and curses had been replaced by the sickly-soft voice of a cool-headed captain. "You must return, immediately. We confirmed that the traitor Kurosaki is indeed revived."

"I can't just leave Momo here; I can see the battle from over a mile away! He'll kill her!"

"That was made inevitable the moment she engaged him. All we can hope for now is that she stalls him long enough that we can strike the city with a mass kido barrage. The Corps is already preparing to initiate the operation."

"We're going to assault the human world, again?!"

"The barrier surrounding the city will contain the energy to within its confines. It is already a wasteland to begin with."

"But… Momo will die!"

"Captain Hinamori must keep the traitor occupied, that's the only way we can be sure the enemy does not make an escape until the assault is commenced." Izuru clenched his teeth, he couldn't believe his ears. They were going to leave Momo to die, all for the sake of killing this one man.

"How long does she have to stall him?"

"No more than fifteen minutes. Then… it will be quick."

"Captain Ise… how can we possibly do this? How can we condone killing one of our own so easily?!"

"We can because we are ordered to do so. Hinamori Momo will have served in the line of duty with honor. Only a captain can hold back Kurosaki for any amount of time, you said so yourself. We cannot let this chance fall to the wayside. Captain General Yamamoto issued the orders himself; you are to return to Soul Society immediately. With the strike force moving to Hueco Mundo we require all captains staying behind to maintain order in the Seireitei and the Rukongai. That includes you." Izuru felt his shoulders droop. So much had already been sacrificed. So much had been thrown to the wolves, his honor and his dignity most of all in that regard. "Momo, please forgive me." He placed the communicator at his ear again. "I will return momentarily. In the meantime, please release Captain Hinamori's limit seal… completely. If this is indeed to be her final act, then I will be damned before I see her forced to battle at only a fifth her true potential!"

"… Very well, Captain Kira. Her limit seal will be removed. We will allow her all her power; but only as soon as you have returned to Soul Society."

"I am already opening the Senkaimon gate. I am on my way." Izuru closed the communicator and looked back at the flashes of light on the horizon. He could just barely see the two dots moving this way and that in a dangerous dance of blood, blades, and power. Momo was wounded, she was distraught, but she was not about to give up. Not like him, she wasn't a coward. "Forgive me… I have no choice." The gate before him opened and Izuru stepped over the threshold. He couldn't bear to watch anymore, averting his eyes from the city as the doors closed. The gate vanished, taking the captain with it.

* * *

Shot after shot from Tobiume splashed against the ground or sped away across the sky. Shirosaki had felt the sword's bite, and he dared not test it again. It took everything he could muster just to dodge them, and the volume in which they flew was steadily increasing. In the very least it prevented him from moving in on the stubborn girl and end her with his sword. As long as he was unable to harden his armor-like skin he would have to avoid damage until his energy returned. "_Ichigo, you idiot! I told you it was a bad idea, and now look at what's happened! You really suck, you know that?! You drained everything! All for some stupid shinigami girl!_" Another one of Momo's fireballs exploded directly beneath Shirosaki's feet, it had missed only by inches.

Momo saw her chance. As long as she could keep him on the defensive there was a snowflake's hope in hell that just maybe she could succeed. Already it seemed her enemy's powers were dwindling, his movements were slowing gradually, but steadily. Maybe… just maybe, she could win. Her, Hinamori Momo defeating the Black Demon of Karakura. It was a fool's dream, but she would try. One more blast to move the target into position, and then she would strike. Tobiume's power burst forth, again missing by a hair's width. Now was the opportunity, and she took it. "Binding arts number sixty-one! Six Rods of Prison Light!" Momo used her arm to guide her aim as she released the spell. The flat beams of light contacted, they were right on target. The power of the rods was actually holding him in place, but she had no time to lose. She knew it was only a matter of seconds before he would overpower it, a skill she knew the former captain had in abundance. In fact she had never seen a kido spell the man could not overcome. She had to be sure that this would succeed, and that meant using a spell he had never seen before. "Binding arts number seventy-five! Quintet of Iron Pillars!"

The huge grey obelisks crashed down onto Shirosaki, smashing him flat onto the ground. He shrieked again as he fought against the spell's power with all his might. He could barely move, his arms and legs pinned. It took almost everything he had at his disposal not to be crushed to dust beneath them as it was. "_I warned you, Ichigo! Use it and we could die! This is what I meant! You left me NOTHING!!_" Over the hollow's screeching cries, a strong and somber voice echoed through the air. Momo had begun her chant.

"Edge of the abyss, darkness flowing through and throughout. Black flames burn asunder, evil birds watch and wonder. To immolate the world, drive down to the depths. Sear the soul, break the spirit. Undo life, hopes undone. The dark flowers blood upon the dying earth as all things cower. Great falling destruction heed they voice and be afraid! Destruction arts number ninety-three! Ten Thousand Blossoms of the Underworld!" The whole city shook violently as hundreds upon hundreds of black ribbons burst from the earth and rose overtop where Shirosaki lay trapped. They combined into a single wide beam of darkness and flew down at him. "_Ichigo, you SUCK!!_" The stream crashed down, the resulting shockwave that spread out like a ring almost blowing Momo right off her feet. She hadn't expected the explosion to be so big. Wiping the wind-caused tears from her eyes she watched as the ash and flames of her spell rose into the air like a blooming rose.

No simple task that spell had been. She had prided herself in the works of kido and that she could use almost any spell without incantation. But this, it had nearly drained her even after reciting the necessary phrase to use it. Such awesome power, she hadn't even realized that the spell could be so destructive. "Thank you, Tobiume. I could not have done it without your help." The sword hummed in response as Momo lowered it. She'd done the impossible, and yet she couldn't even force a smile. There was no satisfaction, no happiness. Just a cold, empty feeling. This moment of reflection was broken as a sharp voice cackled from the rising smoke cloud.

"_I have to say, I'm impressed!_" A wave of spiritual pressure flowed out, blasting away the dust and smoke from the spell. Shirosaki looked up at the woman's wide eyes and sneered. Blood streamed from his arms and his head, his mask almost completely shattered but for a few determined shards still clinging to his face. But, he wasn't dead. He was on his feet, sword clenched in his hand, death written in his eyes. "_I haven't had this much fun in a long time! I can't believe a puny little girl like you could manage to hurt me! But it takes a lot more than that to beat me!_" The shakes were returning to Momo's hands. That was her most powerful spell, her most deadly attack. He looked now as if he'd just been dealt a few minor scratches. "It's not possible." She spoke the words before she could even realize what she was saying.

Shirosaki lifted a hand to his face. His grin still etched across his features as he grabbed a hold of the "air" in front of his head, fingers curved like a claw. "_I get that a lot. So, let's say we kick things up for round two!_" He just sounded his shrill, piercing screech of a laugh as another huge wave of pressure erupted from his body. Black mist was streaming from his fingers as he pulled them down, a mask forming swiftly in his hand's wake. Momo had to brace against this new spirit energy assailing her as its stinging force washed over her body. She could only watch in newfound horror as a hollow's hole began to open on the man's chest. His blood, still dripping from the wounds she'd inflicted, turned black. "_This is fun! So, let's make it even more interesting!_" The tidal wave of pressure could not have been more oppressive as Momo fought against it with all her strength. It felt as if he were moving the heavens and the earth just by glaring at her. She could do nothing against such power but try to withstand its overflow.

Swiping his claw-like hand over his face Shirosaki pulled a mask over his sneering expression seemingly from nowhere. The moment he did the torrent of energy died down. Only the dark center remained, the horned hollow. Though only a single horn stood out from this new mask, the other was broken away. "That mask… it's different."

"_Oh, you noticed? I'm flattered. I tell you what, try to last more than five seconds and maybe I'll be merciful and not tear the skin off your body! I'll just pull out your heart and let you watch it stop as I smash it in my fist!_" Momo didn't even see the movement as a gash opened on her shoulder. She was hurtled backwards, feet tearing twin streams of mist through the air as she fought against her own momentum. She raised her sword, fighting the excruciating pain to bring Tobiume up to bear before her. Before she could even think of defending herself Momo saw Shirosaki clamp his hand onto her zanpakutou. She just stared into his dark eyes as her heart leapt into her throat. He was so fast, too fast. "_You shinigami really piss me off. I've never fought even one of you that could stand up to me, and you still get in the way!_" Tobiume exploded as he clenched his fist on it. Shirosaki drew the fist back and swung, barely missing as Momo shot away in a hasty flash step. "_Never a Bankai I couldn't crush! Never a spell I couldn't brush off!_" He was after her in an instant, clawed hands just barely missing a hold on her hair as she again veered away. "_You're all so pathetic! I'll kill every last one of you! Shinigami, arrancar, anybody and everybody! Then, Ichigo will be mine!_"

A swing from Zangetsu drew a deep cut along Momo's cheek and she gasped. Her head was turned aside as if he'd punched her, droplets flying out to land on the offending blade's edge from this new hurt. Shirosaki just cackled from inside his horned mask as he watched the girl hold a hand to her cheek, blood seeping from between her fingers. Her other arm dangled almost useless but for grasping what remained of her sword. She had very little fight left in her, and he could see that. Diving in, Shirosaki raised his sword high for a strike that would no doubt sever her legs from the rest of her body should it land. The distance between them was being covered in mere fractions of seconds. She had to do something, anything, or she would fall to that blade like so many others. She could not let it take her. "Binding arts number eighty-one! Splitting Void!"

The shimmering barrier rose up high in front of Momo as she tried to back up. A spear of pain sliced up her spine and she arched her back from the throb. She was overexerting herself, and it was taking its toll on her body. Her pain was interrupted by a sound akin to shattering glass. The same word came to mind… impossible. Shirosaki smashed his fist through Momo's shield and it had burst like a mirror being struck with a hammer. He was only a few paces away now, too close. "Destruction arts number-" a fist connecting with the slash on her face silenced Momo before she could complete the spell.

"_That's enough foreplay, you little punk!_" The hollow hissed, grabbing Momo's clothes and pulling her to within only a few inches of his mask. "_You don't even deserve my sword for all the trouble you've caused me! I'll crush the life out of you like I would a dog!_" The hand on her clothing moved to wrap around Momo's throat. She felt her lungs squeezed off, the sudden need for air burning her chest as she writhed in the iron grip. The force on her neck was absolute, but still she fought for even a desperate gasp of breath. As the hazy circle began to close on her vision all she could see was that one-horned mask. The skeletal grin of a hollow.

She couldn't let this be the end. She'd come too far now to be strangled to death by a hollow. She wasn't supposed to go like this; not so easily! A raging fire tore through her veins as Momo forced herself back to consciousness. Her spiritual pressure exploded outwards as she grabbed the hand at her throat. "Get OFF!!" Before the hollow could even shriek she slashed it with what remained of her blade. The sharp jagged edge drawing a long, thick gash along his chest. It roared in pain as Momo shot backwards, getting as much distance as possible. She felt renewed strength rising in her, the energy battling against the pain of her injuries. Her seal, it was finally broken. She had only one shot now before she was spent, and she had to make it count. "I'm sorry, Tobiume. I know how much you hate this, but you must forgive me. I have no other choice."

Momo held the hilt of her zanpakutou upside-down as she raised it as high as she could. "Bankai!" The word was spoken, and the sword obeyed. A pillar of light shot down from the sky and engulfed Momo in its brilliance. Within moments it had vanished, and she held her new weapon high. "Daishimi Tobiume." In her hands was a long staff, at both ends a very intricate design of metal ribbons and lace flowed out. Her clothing had changed, a long sash about her shoulders tipped with large bells overtop a beautiful white kimono. The hollow just growled as he stared at this new opponent. But after a moment, he once again let his twisted laugh fill the air. "_Your own spiritual pressure is dropping like a stone! How long do you possibly think you can hold your Bankai? A few seconds? What possible good do you think you can accomplish?_"

"One shot." Aiming the staff at Shirosaki all the strands of metal and cloth hanging from it shot out and wrapped around the hollow's arms and legs. The sash around her shoulders flew out also, snaking its way around him and pulling tight. He couldn't move. "_What the hell is this?!_"

"My Bankai consumes all my spiritual pressure in a few moments. Like my shikai, it is kido based. It uses up all my energy to charge a single, all powerful destruction spell. A spell that has no number, nor a name. It simply… is." Both the bells on the sash began to chime as the sky overhead darkened. Bolts of lightning and streaks of blue, red, gold, and black all converged on a single point high above, swirling about one another in a brilliant colorful dance. This multi-colored consortium of energy continued to grow before finally surged down at its target. Cackling madly Shirosaki lifted his head to watch this attack fall, all the while an orb of light grew from the tip of his only horn. His cero burst to life and fired up at the energy blast, and the two met.

The explosion that resulted from this mixture made the ninety-third spell look small in comparison. The shockwave blew Momo backwards nearly to the edge of the barrier. Her feet touched down on the ground as she stared at the billowing cloud that seemed almost a mile away, but still so massive it covered the horizon. She felt the strength to even stand up fade away as she collapsed onto her knees. She couldn't tell now if it had worked, or all her efforts had been in vain. She had succeeded in calling down the spell, but the hollow had met it with his own attack.

A burst of air pushed over her back and Momo watched a slick black blade move in front of her neck. "_I thought I told you already, I can defeat ANY Bankai! You just gave me the perfect chance to cut off your head, little brat!_" It was all for nothing. All her training, all her accomplishments fell away as Momo just stared down at the zanpakutou. She now knew the real reason behind a name like the Black Demon. He was unstoppable. A man that could slay a hundred shinigami with a single swing of his sword. A man who could challenge three veteran captains and defeat them all. She never had a hope to begin with.

She waited for the blade to cut, slow and steady through her neck till darkness filled her forever. Zangetsu just hovered there, waiting. In fact, it almost looked as if it were shaking, ever so slightly. Momo turned her head, at first looking to see why the hollow hesitated… and she saw it. A tall man, silver hair emerging wildly from a thick sash bound about his head. He held Shirosaki's arm back with a single hand. She looked past, and Momo could have died right there. Any hope that still remained ran from her heart. It was a garganta, and three more figures were emerging from it. The last bit of endurance left her, and Momo fainted onto the rocky ground of Karakura.


	13. Miracle's Awakening

**And so, finally, the first battle comes to a dramatic conclusion**

* * *

"That's far enough, hollow." Shirosaki met the newcomer's turquoise gaze with his own golden stare. While the man held his hand at bay, the masked one could do nothing but smile. In fact, a laugh began to grow deep within his throat. "_How sweet, the shining knight has come for his little princess. Amusing... but you only delay the inevitable._" Shirosaki was about to strike with his free hand when he froze. A blade was pressed against his throat, and another was digging into his back. His attention had been occupied; he hadn't even noticed the others. "You know, it's hollows like you that give the rest of us a bad name."

"_You're-"_ he didn't get another word out as a deep slash opened along his back. Howling with rage the hollow tore from the grip of the arrancar, but came face to face with the silver-haired man. He didn't hesitate, these were enemies. They all had to die. A black streak tore out from Zangetsu as its master attacked. The getsuga ripped a gash through the landscape nearly as wide as the black cero from the previous battle. But, its target was elusive, the attack had not struck home. "It's over, hollow. You've used all your reserves, there's nothing left for you to fight with but madness." Shirosaki swung his sword again, the black ribbon of death arcing to tear apart the first thing his eyes fell on. He aimed for the blonde arrancar, but Tia was just a blur as she shot out of his view, too fast to follow as she disappeared. The one who had cut him across the back was leaping around, keeping as mobile as possible as another getsuga soared at her only to once again miss its target. Odds like three on one could give such confidence these newcomers were showing. But, they were also odds Shirosaki was no stranger to.

They were diving in again for second strike. This one obviously not meant to detain him. Shirosaki just smiled as he waited. Calm, patient… ready. He waited for just the right moment before swinging his black zanpakutou. The blade connected with Tia's and the woman was stopped dead in her tracks. Sana was coming in from behind, and to meet her the hollow raised his hand with two fingers pointed right at her. Her eyes went wide as she watched the red, three-pointed orb began to grow with sinister power. He was charging a cero and she was too far to cross the gap fast enough. The silver-haired man took his chance as the hollow's attention was elsewhere. He was about to move in for the strike when he watched the hollow hurl Tia away with a sweep of his arm, and now Zangetsu was bearing down on him. There was no dodging it, the black blade carved straight through him and in one fluid motion the weapon was brought to face the fourth espada. The dark ribbon of a getsuga flew out like a bolt of lightning as the cero fired.

Sana had maybe a second, likely less before she was consumed in that deadly assault. Something she did not want to test on her skin, strong as it was. A flick of her wrist brought a short blade into her hand from the recesses of her big sleeve. "Harden, Tetsutoku!" The zanpakutou began to glow as she brought it in front of her body. Right as she did the cero getsuga overtook her and she vanished within its red and black depths. The hollow just sneered as the blast diminished; the arrogant always fell the hardest. He was about to turn when something caught his eye. He hissed, the woman he'd just blown away stood back up; she was untouched. On her arm was a wide shield, blackened from the energy it had just withstood. A zanpakutou, and it was no arrancar release. She held a shikai in her hands. "_So, you have a few tricks, little girl. Now it's only you and the blonde one, and I'm saving her for last._"

"Don't count me out just yet." A long blade fitted itself across Shirosaki's neck, the very touch of it forming frost on the hollow's skin. He didn't move, only his eyes shot to the corpse of the silver-haired man. The only thing he saw laying there now was a pile of crumbled ice. "You're finished, give it up."

"_Give up? Are you that stupid?! I thought you're supposed to be the smart one!_" Shirosaki lifted his hand, in it was the large white marble. "_You say I've got nothing left… I've been retaking all the energy that moron Ichigo blasted out all around the city. Bit by bit._" The marble was beginning to glow. "_What would happen if I brought it all back at once?!_" The glow suddenly erupted into blinding light as the ground all around began to shake. The silver-haired man was thrown off Shirosaki as all the energy, all the escaped spiritual pressure enveloping the city swarmed back to its source.

Shirosaki was howling with laughter as he spread his arms up to the sky. The energy was funneling into the hole in his chest, and as it did the lost horn slowly but surely began to grow back. "_You think you've beaten me because you have a few tricks?! You think you can win by outnumbering me?! I've fought armies, I've slain thousands! It doesn't matter who you are, what number you have drawn on your flesh! I'll tear apart any who stand in my way! I'll kill you all!!_" The burst of spiritual pressure that exploded from Shirosaki could only have been described as destructive force incarnate.

The silver-haired man leapt so hard and so fast he nearly overshot his target as he scooped Momo's limp form up and held her in front of him. His back absorbed the brutal wave of power, his hair whipping forward wildly as if he were withstanding a hurricane as it ripped through the city. The loose sash bound around his face was torn from him as the winds increased, and the man beneath the mask grimaced as the scarred flesh of his back was scraped and pelted with debris. His clothing offered no protection from the force of the spiritual wave. All he could do was wait it out. "_Nothing can stand against me! Even Ichigo would be nothing more than a powerless whelp if it wasn't for me!! I am the KING!!_"

"Then what say we trim that crown, your majesty!" Sana shouted as she leapt high over the hollow's head. Another sword shot out of her sleeve into her grip, and she drew it back to throw. "Cleave without mercy, Nuekiba!" The sword extended as it was released. It took the form of a long halberd, at its tip was a fearsome spiked blade. Sana hurled this new weapon like a spear as hard as she could straight at Shirosaki, aiming right for the back of his head. Though, her exclamation had drawn the hollow's attention, and he turned his head just enough that the javelin struck the side of his mask. The strength of the blow pushed his whole head to the side, a shriek sounding as cracks spread across the white cover. "Now!!" Sana yelled as she could no longer withstand the torrential push of the spiritual wave.

The silver-haired man was already on his feet. The chain leading from the hilt of his zanpakutou flew, wrapping around Shirosaki's arms and chest. With a strong grip the man tightened the chain as a blue light shot down its length. The hollow didn't even have the chance to cry out in anger as the blue spark struck him, and he was entombed in a block of solid ice. Keeping the chain tight the silver-haired man watched as the third warrior rose into the air. The empty center of her zanpakutou was shining with golden light as she drew it back. With a hard swing she unleashed a fan of deadly energy that overtook the icy tomb and blew it apart. Sharp pieces of ice sprayed everywhere as Tia alighted back onto the ground.

All eyes were on the kneeling figure in the wake of the fan-like cero blast. His head was hidden in the mass of orange hair as he shook slightly, whether from cold or injury was unknown. He looked like he was actually hurt now, but Tia kept her sword up and ready as she took another step forward. Her eyes alert for anything as she approached. "Wait, stay back!" The silver-haired man's words were already too late, the bluff had worked. Tia's eyes went wide as the rush shot past her. The kneeling form vanished, simply an afterimage left by Shirosaki as he moved. "_Idiots… all of you. You have no hope of beating me! I've absorbed ever last ounce of Ichigo's power!_" He flicked his wrist and Tia's halter exploded, a dozen delayed slashes appearing over her chest and shoulders from his passing. The hollow waited and watched, but she did not fall. In fact, to his surprise not even a drop of blood fell from her.

Tia turned her head slightly to glare back with a single piercing eye. Shirosaki could only bare his teeth from within the mask, he hadn't cut her. The only thing his blade had succeeded in was destroying her clothes; she was untouched. "It takes more than a quick hand to harm me, hollow… far more. My brother knows this, shouldn't you?" She turned to face him, what remained of her mask fragment chipped and broken. It was not recent damage, she had carried the shattered remains for some time. The only thing left undamaged was the fanged covering of her mouth. "I am Tia Harribel, the Segundo Renovar. A far cry above something such as you" She lifted her head slightly and on the very center of her throat, exposed in a missing piece of her mask fragment was a backwards number two. "I will not be outdone by a hollow, especially one who is already defeated. You are finished."

"_Finished? I told you, numbers and fancy titles don't concern me. I will never be defeated by the likes of you, girl! I'm the one who' is going to-_"

"**Disappear.**" Shirosaki's eyes grew wide as Zangetsu dropped from his grip. Both his hands flew up and droves themselves into the mask's center. With an unearthly strength the hands slowly began to tear the mask into two pieces, ripping it away from the face. "_No! You're supposed to be sleeping! Get off of me! Let me go!_"

"**You dare threaten my friends?! I'll tear you off me with my bare hands, monster!**"

"_It's not fair! This is my body, my power! You're nothing without me! NOTHING!!_" The mask burst into a thousand pieces as Ichigo tore it away from his face. His fists were clenched as the hollow disappeared with one final roar of pain and fury before, finally, everything was still. Ichigo just looked up at the sky and sighed. "You'll never be the king. Not as long as I'm alive." He chuckled to himself as his legs gave out. As Ichigo fell forward he felt strong arms take hold of him and keep him steady. He looked into the mass of blonde hair and grinned weakly. "Tia… I didn't know you cared."

The espada just glared at him as she moved under his arm and supported him on her shoulders. "Hey, easy. I'm hurting here."

"You gave us enough trouble."

"Heh, yeah… I guess so. Sorry about that."

"You should have told us you were leaving. This could have been avoided."

"You know me… do first think later." Tia just rolled her eyes as she led him down to the others, setting him onto the ground. Ichigo just kept staring up at the blue sky, calmly resting from his ordeal. He looked over and saw the silver-haired man holding a hand over a girl, his palm was glowing green. But… her hair… long and black, like a raven's feathers. After a moment of recollection Ichigo's eyes went wide as he struggled to his feet. "Rukia! Oh god, where is Rukia?!" Ichigo could have dashed away, injured or not, if not for the silver-haired man's grabbing him before he could. The fatigue returned as Ichigo collapsed onto his knees, barely able to stand now. "… Rukia…"

"Look." The man pointed, and Ichigo followed it to see a figure rising out of the smoke and ash of the battlefield. The silhouette moved into view, blood caked on his face and chest, but still he marched on steady legs. It was Grimmjow, still in his released form, and in his arms he carried the unconscious Rukia. "This is one less I owe you, boss! This girl is almost as heavy as I am!"

He couldn't help it. After everything that had happened, just seeing the scene of pure irony moving towards him Ichigo lifted his head in heaving laughter. This display made a vein pop out of Grimmjow's brow as he reached the rest of the group. He thought about dropping Rukia onto Ichigo for laughing, but opted to simply lay her down gently. He was thrashed enough, he didn't need to incite Ichigo's short temper. "Found this too." He threw the book at the silver-haired man who caught it with a swipe of his hand. It took only a bare glance for the object to be recognized. "Ichigo, this is a keeping of records."

"Yeah, so?"

"Look at the date." Ichigo took the volume and glanced at it. He simply stared, he knew that date all too well. But, he didn't open it either.

"I'll look at it later. I'm so tired right now."

"Tia, Sana, open the portal. We need to get back. Who knows what new surprises are waiting in this forsaken place." Grimmjow just grunted at the silver-haired man and shook his head.

"I tried. They're blocking the portals."

"Szayel found a method to open it, despite the block after his little device to bring us here melted into a molten puddle. As long as two gates are opened simultaneously with two users at both apertures the connection can be established by combining the two portals into one singular pathway." The silver-haired man's matter-of-fact explanation only served to coax a thoroughly confused expression from Ichigo and Grimmjow both. They looked at one another, perhaps hoping the other would have a clue about what they had just been told. No such luck. Their comprehension only confirmed the opening could be established. Truthfully, it was all that mattered anyway.

Tia and Sana raised an arm at one another and held it there. In the gap between them the portal began to open, albeit incredibly slowly. It would obviously take a minute or two. As they waited Ichigo held Rukia in his arms, not willing to let her go for anything. "She's alive…" Those words were all he could manage for the moment as a single tear fell from his eye. It was not a tear of sadness, or despair as they often were. This was a tear of happiness, a feeling he had been without for a very, very long time. "Stubborn girl, you wouldn't ever quit would you? Not until you'd knocked some sense into my thick head." She didn't answer, but Ichigo could have sworn he saw the tiniest hint of a smile perk at the edge of her mouth.

The hard-fought peace of the group was suddenly broken as a war cry split the air. Momo shouted as she leapt up, throwing Grimmjow to the side, and onto his face, as her sword flashed into view. The silver-haired man moved swiftly, his own weapon whistling as it swung to meet hers. The sound of metal grinding against metal filled everyone's ears with its shiver-inducing screech. Momo's eyes were filled with rage, she was almost mad with it as she pushed hard against the cold steel of her opponent. "You'll regret saving my life, arrancar! If you think I won't… if you… I…" Her voice trailed off as she looked up at the man's face. His sash was gone, and despite the hanging strands of his long snowy hair she could see his features clearly. "Didn't I tell you before, Momo? Don't rush into a situation you know nothing about. You'll just get yourself in trouble… again."

"T-T-T-To… shi… rou?"

"Were you expecting someone else?" Moving some of the annoying hair from his face Toshirou dropped his sword as it faded away into a flurry of snowflakes. Momo just let her own fall from her hands as she stared at him. Without even thinking whether or not she should question this man she threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around the his chest. "Toshirou! You're alive!" He couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying as she buried her face in his shirt. Only the choking shouts as she held him in a death grip. "You're alive! You're alive!" He couldn't do anything but shake her head, she never changed. He returned the gesture, perhaps if only to unlatch the iron embrace from his torso.

* * *

"I think I'm going to throw up… all this mushy stuff." Sana just grumbled as the portal was just growing past halfway. "It's all making me wish Ichigo, or hollow Ichigo, or whatever we just tangled with had vaporized me."

"Don't be so inconsiderate. Hope is something to be enjoyed."

"Since when are you so optimistic? Most of the time you just cross your arms and glare." Tia crossed her arms and glared at Sana. The fourth just rolled her eyes. "And what kind of talk is that? Hope? I'll give you hope; if we bring those two black-haired bimbos back with us… Two more shinigami tromping around the fortress, it's enough to make me pull my hair out. Counting them we're at what now… twelve?"

"Three."

"Whatever. That's two too many. I was just getting used to Jack Frost over there, and now a pair of blubbering whiny girls gets thrown into the mix. Just my day. I'll probably get cooking duty…" Sana was about to continue in her grumbling and complaining when she suddenly fell quiet. She looked at Tia, and could tell the other espada sensed it too. A powerful spiritual energy, far off but growing closer and closer with each passing moment. "What is that?" Sana looked to the others, and she saw all of them looking around with equally cautious expressions. They looked as if they were expecting some new enemy to pounce.

Grimmjow hissed as he got up, looking at Toshirou with a scowl. "Whatever it is, it's pretty strong. Feels like it's getting stronger… or closer. What do you think, snowball?" The nickname was gratified with a glare that could have shattered glass.

"I've told you a thousand times, don't call me that." He took a deep breath, now was not the time to murder anyone. "To be honest, this energy feels familiar… almost like…" He looked down at Momo, and she looked up at him with equally wide eyes. They both knew exactly what it was. "How much longer?! We've no time left to waste!"

"It's almost open… what's wrong?"

"Soul Society is using a kido cannon!" Ichigo looked surprised, and almost immediately angry as he glared up at the sky. He knew exactly what that meant. They were taking out all the stops to try and kill him now. Even he had no hope of surviving something like that. If they didn't get out soon, there would be no leaving ever again. "We've no time, we must go now!"

"Can't you two hurry the hell up?!"

"We're going as fast as we can! I don't see you helping, you blue furball!"

"Fine, you want help?! I'll help!!" Grimmjow rushed over and grabbed the top and bottom edges of the widening garganta. With a hiss of exertion he fought with all his might to force it open. "Come on, open faster! Come on! I don't plan on dying after all that bull I just went through!"

"That's not helping!"

"Shut up and concentrate!"

"I am concentrating!"

"Then stop talking back!"

"I'm not talking back!"

"SHUT UP!!" The portal finally solidified and Grimmjow was through in a heartbeat. Sana was on his heels, still shouting at him as they vanished. Tia waited as Ichigo carried Rukia and disappeared within the garganta before she followed after him. Now all that remained was Momo and Toshirou. The look of utter uncertainty was drawn over Momo's face, the look of fear. "But… Toshirou…"

"Momo, you have to trust me. There's no way you can open a Senkaimon in time now. You have to come with me."

"I'm… afraid…"

"I'm going too, you think I'm staying here? Hurry up! I'll be right behind you, now go!" She obeyed and vanished within the swirling darkness of the portal. Toshirou stopped before he took the final step and looked up at the sky. The blue black bolt of annihilation was falling to the earth. Everything within the border around Karakura would be reduced to dust and ash after a hit like that. No more rubble, no more ruins. Only a desert of powder would remain. Toshirou could only shake his head. "So, this is what it has come to. How far they have fallen."

He vanished as he closed the portal from the inside. It sealed away and was gone just as the whole city was engulfed in light. Karakura was no more.


	14. Hearts and Minds Part 1

**Part one of three. Three stories in the lull of peace, the calm that awaits before the storm... ominous sounding, ain't it?**

* * *

How long? The field seemed to spread out forever, had been there forever. So, how long had she sat there gazing at it? A cool wind drifted over the expanse, like the frost on a winter morning. It carried her raven hair with it gracefully as it passed. Rukia held a hand up to keep her long hair under control as she sat and watched the flowers. It was all so beautiful, the blooms of ice stretched out for as far as the eye could see as the frost trees shone in the dawn's light. It was always dawn, the sun never shifted from its place.

Rukia drew a hand through the blooms around her, watching the icy petals flit through her fingers. They looked like ice, were cold like ice, but felt as real as any rose or orchid she could imagine. Everything was like a garden of snowy white and crystal blue. It was stunning, so much that she felt she could sit among it and just watch the sun's light sparkle across the fields and she would be content.

Flames… everything in flames… Rukia shut her eyes tightly, for a moment all she could see, all she could feel was fire… but then it was gone. She stood, the first time in what felt like an eternity and a half. Despite the icy garden her bare feet were unaffected as she strode through the flowers. Behind her a trail of snowy dust floated up, drawn into the air by the tails of her pure white kimono. She stopped by one of the frost trees and looked at out the eternal fields. For a moment it was gone, everything vanished into emptiness as screams filled the air. Like the whole world was crying out in agony.

It was happening again, a flash and the world was burning. The fires threatened to scorch the heavens themselves as all before Rukia was engulfed in the inferno. The fires were gone in an instant, leaving her breathless. She couldn't begin to understand what was happening, for as long as she could remember the gardens had been so calm. Now she felt so light-headed she was worried she might faint. Rukia rested her hand against the tree and pressed the other against her chest. "So much pain… but, it's not mine…"

"Then whose is it?" Rukia looked up into the tree and beheld the pale woman sitting high above in the branches.

"Sode no Shirayuki…"

"How long has it been?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know? How long have you been here, sitting and gazing at the gardens of this world?"

"… Forever."

"To whom?"

"I don't understand."

"Forever… to whom has it been forever for? You? Me?" The spirit slid from her perch and floated down like a leaf. She stopped before Rukia, hovering a few inches above the grassy field. Sode no Shirayuki lifted a hand and placed it against the other woman's face. "When did you come here?"

"… It's been so long, I can't remember anything but this place."

"When did you begin to gaze at the flowers?"

"… I can't remember."

"When did you cease?"

"A moment ago. I saw… I thought I saw… fire."

"Then it has not been forever, as you so claimed. As everlasting as the time in this world has been, those fires have burned long before you came to this garden."

"What are they?"

"Not of this world." Rukia just thought deeply. The spirit's words troubled her, but something about those dark flames felt familiar. She didn't understand why, but the fires were… alluring. Like she was meant to do something; but what had that to do with the blazing walls that were invading her peaceful gardens? "Ichigo, NOOOO!!!" The scream startled Rukia so much as she whirled to face whatever had cried out. She saw only a hazy shadow of a figure, its arms held out before it blew away in the wind.

From where the shadow had vanished a black circle spread out along the ground. As it spread the gardens disappeared into the void, and from the darkness fire erupted up high into the sky. Everything all around was burning. The trees, the fields, all of it in flames as the sky turned a deep crimson. Rukia just watched this as the urge to simply cower and weep overtook her. Like her very will to continue was consumed by the fires all around her. It wasn't until she felt a strong hand take hers that the strength in her heart could return. Sode no Shirayuki just stared at the horrible fate of the ice gardens with a solemn air. "The flames of hopelessness, desolation… misery. These fires are not something that exist in this world. This is a place of peace and serenity."

"This is… ruin… devastation. It doesn't belong… anywhere." Rukia couldn't bear it much more as she watched the fires roar higher and higher. She raised her head to follow them and her heart sank to the utter depths of her soul. In the sky above were the flashes of thousands of swords. An army was rising up, surrounding and bearing down on a single warrior. In his hand a long black blade gimmered with deadly power. The sword sang through the air, and the burning world was filled with the sounds of screams as blood fell like rain. Not able to watch the battle anymore Rukia turned away, the feelings of despair rising in her again. "This is horrible! We must go back! We must!"

"_What's wrong… are you afraid?_" The voice snickered from all directions. Rukia turned to try and see who, or what, had spoken but saw no one but the spirit next to her. She looked up, and saw even the battle above was gone, the sky now pitch black. Only the fires around them remained, and nothing else. No smoldering trees, no singed grass, no flowers… just flames. "This is the crossroads, Kuchiki Rukia."

"The crossroads?"

"One set before you by the one who cares enough to risk himself to give this choice to you. One set by a man willing to sacrifice everything so you may have it. A choice given by the one named Ichigo." Sode no Shirayuki waved her hand to emphasize the blaze that surrounded them.

"Ichigo?"

"You do not know him because you cannot see who you truly are. As long as you remain here, your memories shall be locked away. If you return to my home, then you must take this path." Sode no Shirayuki raised a hand to her left and a shimmering gateway rose up. It was beautiful, like made of crystal and spun gold. Beyond it was the garden, untouched and beckoning as heaven itself could. "But, to remember who you were… you must face the fires. You must show no fear in the face of hopelessness. To do so, you must take the other path." Her right hand showed a twisted path leading right into the flames. On either side of the path stood a creature, one whose body was wholly black and the other completely white. The only feature they bore was half a mask upon their face bent up in a devilish grin sheered in two. They bowed to her, their arms inviting to the dark path. Rukia did not understand why, but these beings frightened her.

"If you choose to remain, you will live among the flowers and ice in peace forever. But, going backs means you cannot go forward. To go forward… means there is no turning back." Rukia just looked from one path to the other. It did not take much thought for her to see there was not a single reason in her mind to risk the treacherous ground nor such devils as the half-masks that regarded her with hungry yellow eyes. She turned towards the shimmering gate and approached it. The garden was so lovely, so welcoming. She would sit among the flowers and trees forever, nothing to be feared in that beautiful place. It was all she desired. "Stop! Stop it!! Leave him alone!" The scream echoed through the burning emptiness and Rukia whirled around to look at what she expected to be another shadow. It was not. A woman, her clothes torn and ragged with cuts and gashes covering her from head to toe. Her green hair fell in filthy clumps, caked with grime and blood. Tears streamed from her eyes as she fought against unseen hands.

"Leave him alone! Stop it! Leave Ichigo ALONE!!"

"Nell!" This voice came from some unseen man, his words no more than a sharp growl. "Don't you touch her!!" That voice… Rukia felt her heart stir the moment she heard it.

"You're killing him! Please… stop it!!" The woman was in hysterics before some invisible force struck her across the face and she was silenced. Just like the shadow before her the green haired woman faded away like dust in the wind. Rukia just looked at Sode no Shirayuki and the spirit met her gaze. "Ichigo… I know that name."

"Yes, you do."

"I… wanted to help him. There was something… something I needed to tell him."

"If you desire to tell him, you will never be given the chance should you turn back. He gave you the choice before you, and it is yours alone. Walk the dark path and learn, or return to the inner world forever. Once either is decided, there is no turning back from it. Life's choices cannot be rescinded." Rukia felt the grips of hesitation coil around her. Though the gardens were calling her she felt a sudden urgency to know… what was it she had so needed to tell him? Why did she need to help him? Why… why when she heard that voice did her heart flutter?

A swarm of ash gathered before her until another figure had come to be in front of her. He was slumped against something, a wall perhaps but Rukia could not see. His ankles and wrists were shackled, and blood seeped from a jagged collar about his neck. What little of his face she could see was badly bruised with thick gashes dug into the flesh. The cuts that covered his skin were clotted with their own blood, others fresh enough to still have drops falling from them. This decrepit man turned his head to face something Rukia still could not see, his mop of dirt-encrusted blue hair falling over an eye swollen shut. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm getting you out of here, what's it look like?" That voice again, Rukia's heart could have grown wings at the feelings unfurling within her.

"You're what? I tried to **kill** you, now you want to rescue me?"

"Shut up and let's go. You'll need this. The shackled man lifted his hand to catch the sword that was flung at him.

"… My zanpakutou. But why?"

"Because, the enemy of my enemy… and all that stuff. Don't give me that look, we'll say you owe me. Now come on, off your butt! We have others to rescue from this hellhole." The shackled man sneered as he blew away with the wind. Rukia didn't understand, she couldn't. What was she seeing? What was this? The only question she could think of passed her lips just as soon as it came to mind. "What will happen if I take the dark path?"

"I do not know. I cannot follow you if you do."

"Ichigo… will I meet him if I follow the flames? Will he be waiting for me?" The spirit looked at the two half-masks as they continued to smile menacingly at Rukia.

"You will simply have to find out for yourself. But know... if you take the shimmering path you will never have the chance to learn for certain ever again. The choice is yours, Rukia." The spirit floated towards the garden gate. Rukia held her ground as the pale woman passed her by, she'd made her decision. Unraveling the sash from her beautiful white kimono she let it fall from her shoulders. It vanished before it even fell to the ground. In its place were the black robes Rukia knew so well. She felt something amiss and reached to her side, feeling for the sword she knew was meant to be there. "I told you, I cannot follow you along that path. You must tread it, no matter what you may see. Have no fear." Sode no Shirayuki passed beyond the shimmering gate and was gone.

"So be it." Rukia made her way towards the dark path. Before she could step over its threshold the half-masks suddenly barred her way. "Before you go-"

"-You may want this." The creature held something in its claws, a crooked white horn that reminded Rukia of a blade.

"What is it?" They simply smiled as they placed the horn in Rukia's hands. She gripped it, the edges were sharp. But, despite its appearance it held warmth to it… a strange sensation flowed into her from the bony white object. It was just one of the many questions she would seek the answer to along the dark path. She took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold and marched onwards. "_Come into my parlor… lovely little lady. I'm waiting._"

The opening to the path was suddenly consumed in a roaring way of flames. The inferno was so overwhelming Rukia could not even bring herself to look at it, only feel the heat on her back. But, there was no desire to look back now, no regrets to be had about her choice. She faced the darkness and heard that same eerie voice fade away… laughing. "I'm not afraid of you." Broken horn in hand and determination set in her stride she walked into the black and onwards to the answers she sought.

* * *

The door… Nelliel could only hesitate as she lifted her hand to knock. Second-thoughts were coursing through her mind. She knew she should let him rest, but she was feeling so lonely. Her hand softly tapped against the door twice and she waited. Nearly a minute passed and a sunken feeling grew more and more in the pit of her stomach before the door finally opened. "… Nell? What are you doing?"

"Grimmjow… I'm sorry if I'm disturbing… I know I should let you rest after what happened… but Ichigo is sleeping… and…" He looked at her, the oft scowl she would see on his face wasn't there. In fact, he looked almost amused.

"Are you going to come in, or just stand there stammering all day?" Nelliel nodded and passed into the other espada's quarters. She just took a deep breath as she heard the door close behind her. "To be honest I was expecting you a little sooner. Whenever something happens that worries you, somehow you always end up here."

"I should have been there with you."

"No, you shouldn't have. You made an oath to only lift you sword when absolutely necessary. This wasn't a situation that called for it."

"I drew it before… against the shinigami when she was captured."

"Proving a point to defuse a situation is different than stepping into one head-first." Grimmjow just collapsed into a chair as he stared out his one and only window. "We've been through too much to start forgetting our ideals." The moonlight fell on him through the opening, exposing the network of scars covering his bare chest.

"You've changed, Grimmjow. Have I told you that?"

"Yes." He just kept his eyes out the window. Nelliel just smiled as she watched him.

"Oh, my big blue barbarian!"

"What are you… whoa!" Grimmjow gave a start as Nelliel jumped into his lap to wrap her arms around his neck. "Uh… Nell…"

"Ssh. I thought you were dead, this is what you get for scaring me." She drew herself close to him, easily fitting her slender form on top of him. He was huge compared to her. After a moment she felt an arm wrap around her as Grimmjow kept his eyes out to the expansive desert beyond. "How my panther king was changed… he's just a big kitty cat now."

"The boss has a way of doing that to… what did you just call me?"

"A big blue kitty." Nelliel giggled as she saw Grimmjow give her a look out of the corner of her eye. "I have a strawberry for a best friend and a big cat as… well… you know the rest." The two just sat in the soft moonlight together. Nelliel just smiled to herself, Grimmjow had been right. Ichigo certainly did have a way of changing people, if even just by being around them. She remembered what the man in her arms had been like before, his thoughts and cares during the days of the Winter War, and the War of the Night. The fearsome adjuchas, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. Always seeking battle, mindlessly searching for a more powerful opponent. In the end it took something other than mindless conflict to change a hollow's heart. "A strawberry that never quits."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing… don't worry about it." Nelliel waited a moment, a question floating up in her mind that had nagged at her almost the whole time she'd watched the human world. "Grimmjow?"

"Hmm?"

"Why?"

"…" He looked at her quizzically. "Why what?"

"Why did you go? What made you follow Ichigo to rescue someone you wouldn't even care about?"

"I couldn't have cared less… but I could see he was about to eat his own lips watched that shinigami get clobbered. I figured I'd stop him from doing something he'd regret."

"By not stopping him?"

"Sure… why not." Nelliel just smiled, enjoying the moment. Sometimes even she was surprised by some of the arrancar. Not many of them felt like hollows anymore, and for that she was truly happy. Happy in the embrace of her panther king.

* * *

The fortress was quiet as night had fallen. Of course, it was always night time in Hueco Mundo, but something about the moon gave the feeling of a calm evening. The crystal light reflected off the tiny piece of jewelry as the pale hand that held it turned the trinket this way and that. Ulquiorra just stared at it without blinking. Heart or not, he still found it hard to feel much of anything except when he looked at the hair pin. All he knew was he wished he'd have felt then what he did now. Maybe he could have changed things. Maybe the outcome could have been different. Closing his fingers around the snowflake he just looked up at the moon again. "She wouldn't have had to die."

"Not like you could have changed anything." Ulquiorra turned to eye this newcomer. "You're early, Ulquiorra. I'm surprised."

"Why?"

"I don't know… you always seem to arrive when you feel like it." The newcomer looked at Ulquiorra's closed hand then up into his eyes. "Miss her?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Just curious I guess." Noel hopped up onto one of the needle-thin poles that rose up from the roof and alighted on it with a single graceful step. "While we wait, care to answer me a question?"

"Speak."

"You weren't even around when she died. I was, and I couldn't do a thing myself. Ended up getting myself killed actually... What difference do you think you could have made?"

"I could have stopped that cowardly trash from stealing the one thing I ever learned to care for." Noel just grinned, her snake-like pupils narrowing to needle-width as she gazed up at the moon. The other arrancar was always so stoic, but she could see past that. There was more to him than surfaces showed. The moment of silence was interrupted as a third arrived via flash step on the roof. "Hitsugaya, prudent as always."

"Noel… Ulquiorra. Your promptness is appreciated."

"What is this meeting for, shinigami? I have other matters I wish to attend to."

"Our engagement in the human world has set off the fuse. It's only a matter of time before they bring the fight to us."

"Wasn't that part of the plan? I mean, Ichigo did stir up the hornet's nest. Just like her always does, troublemaker."

"His actions were foolhardy." Ulquiorra just regarded the others with his unwavering stare. "But, I can understand his reasons."

"So, you're both ready to do what is necessary?"

"Are you?" Noel just smiled cleverly as Toshirou questioned her with a glance. "Oh great captain, can you raise your sword against your former comrades?"

"If it is to do what I believe must be done, I will turn my sword against anyone."

"Then don't worry about us. This is what we were made for." Noel nudged Ulquiorra with an elbow. "Well… one of us. How long until the fireworks begin?"

"The shinigami will arrive at our doorstep in one day, according to our inside source."

"That still gives us three days before the deadline Ichigo gave. Not to mention after his little trip to the world of the living he's down for the count."

"Which is why your swords may be necessary in the defense of the home front. We still have four days before we can make a move."

"Well, doesn't look like we have much of a choice. Do we, Ulquiorra?" Nudging the man again Noel received a bone-chilling glare before the taller man vanished. "He'll help."

"How do you know?"

"Well, he didn't insult us… that's a start. He doesn't talk much as it is, but we can count on him. Don't worry, everything will be fine." With a quick two-fingered salute Noel vanished from the roof. Toshirou just shook his head, arrancar were a little too headstrong for his taste. They didn't have the caution he had come to know. If Soul Society was willing to turn a kido cannon against a segment of the living world, hidden from all else within a barrier or not, than whatever was coming was likely not a simple group of assassins. He knew better. "I would not be surprised to see several whole divisions marching up against the walls of this place. It would be my luck if they did. Just my luck… Better go make sure Momo isn't trying to kill anybody again."

The night was still. The moon was bright. The short-lived peace over the fortress was something to be enjoyed by all within it. Time was drawing shorter by the moment. Only a day remained before the war began anew.


	15. Hearts and Minds Part 2

**Part two of three, and my longest chapter yet. This chapter not only introduces a character I haven't been able to WAIT to bring in, but also involves some of the most psychotic dialogue i've ever written, not to mention a whole bucketload of ellipsis thrown in. Yay for ellipsis.**

* * *

The shadows… they were everywhere. For as long as Rukia had been walking along the path she hadn't seen such a mass of them all around cross the twisted path, floating and flying about in the vast darkness on either side of the winding way. She could even hear voices now, not so proclaimed as the visions before. Now it was like a chorus of whispers and secrets passing through the air. The disharmony of the whole couldn't have made less sense, so many voices all in one. Rukia was able to catch a name or even a voice she recognized… but only for a moment. The memory faded away just as soon as the whisper did.

The mess of it all seemed to suddenly ebb away as Rukia laid eyes on two shadows that had stopped their dizzying dance on the path directly before her. She stared for a moment as they became clear. While as if frozen, she could see them as clear as she could any normal person, not some hazy phantom flitting through the blackened sky. Though, clarity like that only brought confusion. Rukia stared right into her own face, worn by one of the shadows. "It's… me. How?" Something caught her eye on the shadow's arm, drawing her attention to the badge tied to it. She knew that badge well… too well. It was something she had worn with pride. The memories that came with it flooded her mind so fast it nearly hurt. "My vice-captain's insignia… from when I was in the fifth division. What is this, a vision of the past?" She was remembering, faster and faster now did the images play over her mind's eye.

The urge to touch this shadow overpowered any inhibitions she had, and Rukia reached out and let her fingers ever so slightly grace the badge. A feeling akin to a static jolt traveled up her arm and Rukia withdrew it immediately. With amazement she watched as the dark path melted away, the world all around her shifting into something else. In a moment's passing she was no longer on the path at all. She stood in an office of some kind and the memories it held came to her like a river of imagery and experiences. The captain's chambers of the fifth division, a place she had spent a great deal of time within.

"You don't have to go, Ichigo! Why are you so insistent on this?!" The sound of her own voice startled Rukia as she watched her shadow move to the front of the desk. Behind it a tall man kept his back to her as he stared out a window. A captain's robe and a mop of unkempt orange hair the only thing she could see. "Please, tell me why?"

"Because it's what I have to do." That voice… his voice. Rukia felt her heart beat faster. She knew this man, but trying to recall him only resulted in a dissatisfying emptiness in her mind. So close, and yet still such a mystery. How utterly frustrating. Rukia watched her shadow rest her hands on the desk, using the solid surface to keep herself under control. "Then take me with you! Don't leave me here when I can help you!"

"No! I already told you!" Whirling around the captain slammed his fist against the desk. The act startled both Rukias, and the power of the strike alone nearly split the wood in half. "If I… In case I don't come back who would be left to command? I don't want to place that burden on my seated officers, not in times like these. You're my lieutenant, Rukia. It's your duty to assume mine… should anything happen."

"Yes, I am your lieutenant! And as such I should be by your side! You can't end the whole war alone!" The captain just collapsed into his chair as he covered his face with a hand.

"I've already made arrangements. In the event I don't return in time… the mantle of my position will be transferred to you. Captainship and all."

"What? I… I don't want it! I'm not even qualified to assume-"

"I know you've reached Bankai, Rukia." The shadow hung her head. Rukia just watched this all transpire. The more she witnessed the more she understood. All of this, they were memories… visions of the past just as she had suspected. She remembered this day… she remembered how it had broken her heart. "You'll make an excellent captain. Better than me, that's for sure."

"I don't want to be anything if it means you'll never come back! How can you say these things?! After all you've done… giving me the chance to become a vice-captain… how can I repay you if you never return?!" The captain just turned his chair to look out the window again. "Everything you've said to me… all we've done together… did it mean nothing to you, Ichigo?"

"I… Rukia, I… what it meant… isn't important right now. This war has to end before it spills into Soul Society like it's done in the human world. I'm the only one strong enough and able enough to enter Hueco Mundo and put a stop to it once and for all. The only one who can do it alone. As I said, in the case I don't come back… fifth division will be yours."

"Why are you speaking like that? Why won't you look at me, Ichigo? You… you…" The captain just glanced back at her. The shadow's face fell as the realization took her. "You don't plan on coming back at all… even if you do succeed."

"The war will be over. We'll have peace again, for the first time in ages. Peace for Soul Society… peace for my home and my family back in the human world… if it means taking the last resort then so be it, I will do whatever it takes."

"But you have to come back! We need you here!"

"I've made my decision!" The captain's voice was stern, forceful… but Rukia could hear the pain it held. "You'll be captain of the fifth division, a position you were meant to have as it were. You deserve it more than I do. So I've made sure it'll happen.

"With whom were these 'arrangements' settled, my brother?! I know he's stood in the way of my promotions for so long, but that's in the past! He won't interfere anymore, Ichigo!"

"I know."

"You know? So it was with him that you spoke… but, what did you agree to?! What is making you do this?! Why do you refuse to take me with you?! Ichigo, look at me!! What did you agree with him?!"

"He would stand aside, stop the oversight of your exceptional talents. In return… I would turn my back from you. To be sure you were given a fair chance… I was forbidden from asking for your hand. That was his only demand." Taking off his white robe Ichigo placed it on the desk. He took advantage of the shock his statement had caused in his lieutenant. "Don't hate me, Rukia… no matter what. I was only thinking of you... Goodbye." He vanished as Rukia watched her shadow race after him to the window… but he was gone.

"Ichigo, come back!" She slid to her knees, the sound of muffled weeping filled the room. "Don't leave me…" The room faded away and once again Rukia stood on the dark path. So many things running through her mind now. Thoughts, dreams, memories… things that had been lost or forgotten, all streaming back to her. The words of Sode no Shirayuki echoed in her mind once more. "As long as you remain here, your memories shall be locked away." Her memories… the shadows were memories. Pieces of her broken mind swarming about in the inner world. Waiting to be unlocked, to be seen and remembered.

Rukia thought back to those she'd seen before… the shadows that all seemed in pain and suffering… and her hand moved to the horn she had tucked in her sash. Those shadows had been no memory of hers. What could they have been? What could they mean? A shadow passed by Rukia and she held out her hand. She knew how to access them now. The dark path again faded away as a hall was presented before her. A hall that brought back enough memories alone to last her… it was the Kuchiki Manor. Taking a step back Rukia watched as her shadow entered, bursting through the door with cheeks red and puffy from drying tears. "Rukia?" A voice like a hot nail through her eyes… the very sound of it calling forth anger in her heart. "What are you doing here?"

"You bastard!!" The shadow rose up as high as she could and slapped her brother with all her might. Every eye in the whole room was now intently focused on the pair, all of them with expressions of stark horror at what had just happened. "You villain!"

"Rukia?" Her brother seemed more shocked than angry, but he did block a second blow before it could fall.

"Have you no heart?! Has that too turned cold and hard as stone?!"

"You're not making any sense." Tears were pouring again from the shadow's eyes as Rukia watched this exchange. She knew it all too well.

"Sense? No, what doesn't make sense is the man whom I have loved as a brother and honored as a true noble tearing at my heart like a jealous snake!" The insult brought a twitch in Byakuya's expression. "I was wondering why Ichigo was so distant from me for so long! I was wondering why he was avoiding me! It was YOU!!"

"Oh… that." His voice made it sound like the most trivial matter he'd had to deal with that day.

"… That? Is that all you can say, oh great and noble brother? 'Oh… that.' Are those the only words you can think of to explain this… this…" The searing anger radiated from the shadow to the point it was nearly visible as an aura about her.

"If it is an explanation you desire, so be it. I never stood for Kurosaki's appointment to the captain's seat. But, his power is undeniable, and so it was made to be. But, the day he came to me asking such a foolish question as he had… in the midst of a war of all things. I refused without a second thought. I would not have a daughter of the Kuchiki name, whether by adoption or not, be given in marriage to such a… such a **creature** as he is."

"… He asked… to marry me?

"His etiquette was sound by approaching me first for permission… but that alone is the only reason I did not cut him down for asking such foolhardy nonsense in my own home." As her shadow shook Rukia could not help but share in the fury felt by his words. Her fists were clenched so tightly it nearly drew blood. She remembered how her hand had so desired to draw the blade at her side it burned her just to remain still. But, she bore a far more potent weapon than a blade. Rukia remembered now… it was her turn to cut. "I see. I understand."

"I'm glad you see the truth then. Now, will you apologize for such rudeness you displayed before?"

"Oh… no. No, I don't think so." Reaching into her jacket the shadow drew out a white robe and in one quick sweep she pulled it on over her shoulders. "From this day forward I am a captain. I will serve as a captain, and will command as a captain. I will bear the name of my sister with the pride I feel for here… but you… if I ever hear you speak of me as your sister again I will spit your name as someone does a curse. I wash my hands of you, for I can never forgive you for this… this…" Her hand tightened on the hilt of her zanpakutou. Only sheer force of will kept it sheathed. "From now on… it is MY LIFE! Not yours to control!! I hope I never see you again, Kuchiki Byakuya! I promise you this, I will never set foot in this house again for as long as I draw breath!!"

The manor faded away to the path once again. Rukia let a deep breath from her as she took the broken horn from her sash. Holding tightly she pressed it against her and fought back the tears welling up in her. She needed a good cry, but it was definitely not the place for such a thing. "Oh… Ichigo… I'm so sorry." Without her even realizing Rukia crossed the path of one of the shadows and in the blink of an eye she was whisked away. It was night now, and all around expanded a desert for as far as the eye could see, before her was a fire, and Rukia found herself sitting next to it. Two heavily robed men sat opposite one another with the blazing campfire in the middle.

Looking around Rukia's eyes suddenly widened as they fell on a large creature to her back. Golden fur and long ears… it was like a fox, but as big as a horse. Its face was hidden, a white mask covering it from sight. "A hollow?" It was asleep if so, and her attention was brought back to the men as they spoke. "Two days now before we reach the stronghold. If we keep moving that is."

"Still set on that I see, Kurosaki. This place is sealed away, the war is over." It was Ichigo… and Rukia recognized the other's voice as Hitsugaya Toshirou. A feeling of uncertainty welled within her… she did not remember anything like this. If it were indeed one of her memories, where was her shadow? It was absent, the only things within view were the two men and the hollow behind her. As the conversation continued Rukia listened, perhaps there would be clues to be found in it.

"I made a promise! I said I would finish this, and I'm not about to back down from my word. Even if she… if she didn't stand by me in the end that's fine. I'm not about to turn my back on my promises."

"Even after what happened at Karakura? What you **did** at Karakura?"

"What I did and who was there has nothing to do with what I'm going to do here. I always keep to my word… I never meant to return anyway."

"Neither did I."

"That's why we make such good partners, right Shiro buddy?"

"Captain Hitsugaya."

"Not anymore you're not. Like you said, this place is surrounded by a barrier. A permanent, impenetrable barrier. There's no going back to be a captain for anybody."

"... I guess you're right. But don't call me Shiro. If you refuse to be formal, at least call me Toshirou… it wouldn't kill you."

"Alright, it's a deal. You can call me Ichigo!" The two men just sat and stared at the fire in silence for the longest time. Rukia could feel that both of them wanted to say something, but it was what felt like hours before a voice finally spoke up. "Kuro… Ichigo, I can't say I agree with your actions, despite the reasons that motivated them… but should the opportunity ever arise that you could return to Soul Society… what would you do?"

"You don't want to ask me that."

"I just did."

"… I'd take it apart. I left to save them all from war, forsaking everything I left behind so I could stop Aizen's rejects once and for all. What thanks do I get for my sacrifice? My home, my family, all I ever loved was massacred. I can't think of a single reason why the hell they would do something so… so… ERGH!! All I can say now is I'd return the favor, I don't care who gets in my way!"

"I see. If it means any condolences, I didn't know it was occurring until I myself reached the field of battle… originally to stop you, even if things didn't work out that way in the end. If it weren't for that insane duel-personality of yours we might not have been stuck here in the first place."

"Heh… yeah… he's annoying. As for all that… I already know. You don't have to apologize to me… I know you wouldn't have ever stood for something so horrible. The Toshirou I know and fight beside never betrays his allies!"

"I don't betray my friends… my list of allies seems to have run a bit thin thanks to Karakura." The vision faded away with the sound of Ichigo chuckling. Rukia could only wonder at what she had just seen. That wasn't a memory of hers, there's no way she could have been there. What could she have just been witness to? If these were indeed memories, and that was not hers… then could she be carrying the thoughts of someone else? The green-haired woman from before, the rescue of the wounded man… and most of all, the burning world at the crossroads. The comprehension that landed in Rukia's mind could not have made any more sense… or felt any less alien. "That was… one of Ichigo's memories."

"_Finally! She gets it!_" Rukia was suddenly whisked to a whole new place, just like when she had touched the shadows… but she hadn't come into contact with anything, It took her a second to get her bearings as she looked down… at absolutely nothing. There was no ground, she was in fact standing on the 'sky.' She kept her gaze downwards, more wondering why she wasn't falling into oblivion than why the ground was up. "_You know, for a little while I thought you'd totally fried your brain, but there you go and figure it out. HEEEEEE!! I'm so impressed; yes, yes, yes, yes I am!_" It was the voice that had seemed to come from everywhere, and nowhere… only this time Rukia found exactly what was squeaking and giggling like a hyena.

Sitting cross-legged, as well as upside-down, a few feet from where Rukia "floated" was a woman. White skin, white clothes, and silvery hair that gleamed as if it were made of metal. The only true color were the eyes, like wide black pits with glowing violet cores that didn't blink as they gazed. "_Here I've been, watching you bumble around your own mind trying to put pieces back into place and WHOOP! You go and figure out the biggest mystery after a single peep at one memory? YAY!!_"

"Who are you? If you know so much, tell me what's going on. Why are Ichigo's memories with me?"

"_Huh? Meeeeee? You wanna know about cute little meeeeee? To be honest… I have no idea! Just got here myself. As for all the fun memories Ichigo left you to play with, he did it to save your life! What a trooper!_" The white girl just grinned, a smile that could only have been wider if it broke out of the edges of her face.

"To save my life? That's right… he came to help me… I remember."

"_And after all the trouble he went through because of you too! Oh the wonders of love! It's so dreamy!! Ichigo and Rukia sitting in a tree, S-E-X-X-I-N-G!! First come that, then comes some more, then comes the babies in a cute little carriage! … Don't glare at me like that, I'm horrible at rhymes. I mean, come on… after all the trouble he went through to get away from you and now this? Look!_" Pulling up her shirt the white girl pointed to a pair of deep scars, one quite fresh, that were etched in the center of her chest. "_That poor guy can't make up his mind about anything. Do I love her, is she right for me? Will she be angry that I STABBED HER?!_"

"How can you possible know anything? You don't even know your own name!" With a sneer the white girl turned over until she was right-side up with Rukia. With slow, fluid movements she approached until the two of them were barely a foot apart. "_But I know everything about you, my lovely friend. All your hopes, all your dreams… all your fears._" Slinking around Rukia in a circle the white girl drew her fingers across the other's skin. Her touch like hot ice. "_What do you think kept your spirit in one piece just long enough for our heroic Ichigo to tear a part of his soul out to give us?_"

"What?"

"_This little thing, what else do you think it could be? A dinner table decoration?_" The white girl took the broken horn from Rukia's hands, tossing it up and down as she snickered deviously. "_So indecisive… it seems this was the first honest choice he'd made in some time. All for the woman who's only caused him pain, and suffering, and hardship. All for the name of love… how sweeeeeet!!_"

"How do you know all that?"

"_How? Oh my dear Rukia, look around you!_" Raising her arms to the surrounding air, the white girl spread her fingers wide as hundreds of thousands of shadows appeared all through the empty space of the upside-down world. "_He already told us! He gave us everything we needed to know! But, most of all, he gave us the power to escape! To cheat death itself, all thanks to that funny little toy of his. Isn't it wonderful?! After everything you've done to him, all the things you made him have to endure he still comes back for more punishment! All at your expense. Oh, how wonderfully sweet! True love! Well don't worry yourself, my dear! I'll be taking good care of him from now on!_" Holding the horn up the white Rukia just cackled louder as the crooked object disappeared in her hands. Her laugh began to fill outwards, consuming the whole world in its drone as all the shadows flew it her.

That same voice, the one that had beckoned Rukia to take the dark path. Had she walked into a trap? What was this creature that shared her face? "_If it weren't for your adorable little Ichigo I might never have been able to wake up!_" Rukia could only watch as all the shadows, all her memories converged on the white girl. Surrounding her in their inky embrace. When it was done the pale woman emerged, a sneer on her face as she lifted a sword high. It was pure black, as if the very light of the world itself could not abide by it. "_And now, thanks to my newest friend, my precious Ichigo, I'm going to keep all the memory and power he gave you! You can watch like a good girl as I thank him personally! But first…_" She held the weapon out, pointing it at Rukia as she grinned. "_I'm going to make sure you don't get feisty on me. Don't want you to spoil the party!_"

"Not if I can help it." Reaching to her side, Rukia winced as the memory from before came a few moments too late. She was defenseless. There was nothing that she could use against this creature. The dark aura of its blade seemed to grow over her whole body as the white girl came closer and closer. All the while the painful fact rose in Rukia's mind that she could do nothing to prevent it. "_What's wrong, Rukia? Where's your sword? Shouldn't it be at your side just as it always was? Or… could it be… this is it right here?_" Holding the zanpakutou up the white girl showed it off. A long streamer hanging from the hilt, and the sleek appearance of the blade. Rukia recognized it immediately… in the white girl's hand was Sode no Shirayuki. The creature had her sword. "_Oh dear, I imagine that it likes me a little more than you. I guess not having all your faculties really does make a difference!_"

The white girl drew back the zanpakutou, her eyes alight with what she was about to do. She was ready and willing to slice Rukia in half with her own sword. She was grinning madly just at the prospect of it. "_It's my time to shine! Yay me!_" There was nowhere to run, nowhere to go. Rukia just watched as the blade fell for her neck. This was how it would all end, just as she remembered what she had so desperately wanted to say to the man she loved. Why for so long she'd wanted to help Ichigo with all her soul.

The reason her heart readied itself to explode whenever she heard his voice. Now… she could never tell him.

* * *

The sound of clashing swords echoed through the white halls. Toshirou followed it, hoping to not find what he was almost certain that he would. He made his way to the promenade and found a growing crowd of arrancar surrounding the rails overlooking the lower level. Some of them were cheering, others just watching intently as the flurry of sounds rang out from below. Toshirou's approach was easily sensed by all those in front of him, and they parted so he could pass. "Oh, Momo… what are you doing?" He more asked himself as he watched the shinigami exchanging a flurry of strikes against the blade of Hinimara.

The captain and the espada were moving so fast it was just a frenzy of flying sparks, waving hair and swinging swords. The blades would meet at least three or four times in the time it took a heart to pause between beats. The bout a dance of flash steps and skillful hands. Toshirou couldn't help but watch now. He'd at first been intent on ending the duel… but now he found himself unable. He'd known Momo for so long, but obviously not well enough. While a proven master of the kido arts, her skills with the blade had never been over bare average… often it slipped below. She had the talents to become a lieutenant… even a captain to be sure… but never had he seen such skill by her hands. Hinimara was a talented swordswoman, even more so than several numbers above her own. And still, Momo matched steel for steel in the blur of action transpiring below.

It took a trained eye to see what had occurred when the duel suddenly concluded. A quick duck, a flick of the wrist and it was over. Momo held her zanpakutou's edge only a hair's breadth from Hinimara's neck. The espada just looked surprised for a moment, but calmed herself to a minor grin. "Impressive, shinigami. I see your sword can boast as well as your mouth, especially being Lord Kurosaki's former subordinate. I concede this as a draw."

"A draw? I could have taken your head."

"And I would have run you through. You parried me, but didn't heed where my blade went." Momo just looked down, seeing the tip of the espada's sword ready to plunge through her midsection. Sighing, the shinigami withdrew her weapon and bowed slightly. "A draw then." Hinimara returned the gesture as the crowd of spectators parted to let someone through. Momo looked and beamed as she saw Toshirou approaching. "Shiro-chan! I was looking everywhere for you!!"

"Shiro-chan? I see Master Hitsugaya has a nickname he did not tell us about." Hinimara just smiled as she watched Toshirou roll his eyes as a certain shinigami latched on like a lamprey. Sheathing her sword the espada flipped a lock of stubborn auburn hair from her face. It was humorous enough watching the taller shinigami attempt to free himself from the embrace. She looked up, eyeing the crowd still watching them. It took only a snap of her fingers for the assembly to quickly part and scatter. Within moments the three were alone. "Momo… let go… ergh… get off. Can you for once act your own age?" He was finally released from the embrace, though Momo still beamed despite his grumblings. "After that incident yesterday with the fourth espada I thought you would have heeded me to stay in the throne room."

"Oh… my apologies Master Hitsugaya. I am the one to blame for such a breach of orders."

"You, Hinimara?"

"Yes. I had heard from certain individuals that a second shinigami had been brought here. I was curious, and to my surprise in finding that this was in fact a former subordinate of Lord Kurosaki… well, I thought it would only be right and courteous of me if I acquainted myself."

"Then why were you fighting?"

"Oh… that, ah… yes… ummmmm..."

"She made fun of my hair."

"I was simply defending from the fact she made fun of mine first."

"You have feathers sticking out of your head!"

"Coming from the girl with a mop of knots and split ends!"

"Parrot-head!"

"Parrot-head?! Why you little..."

"That's enough out of both of you!" The two women found their feet floating above the ground as Toshirou picked them both up by the scruff of their collars. "No more fighting… I had enough trouble keeping the espada off each other all those years back and I'm not standing for it happening again."

"I'm not an espada."

"And no back-talk. I have work to do now, and I'm not about to babysit a couple of overpowered children who can't keep their immature remarks to themselves. Do I make myself perfectly clear? Or do I need to have the twins keep an eye on both of you?"

"Oh! Oh, no, no, no, no, no! That's completely unnecessary, Master Hitsugaya! I'll just go make sure Sana is keeping out of trouble and I'll be on my way!" Hinimara's sudden shift to both apologetic and obvious fright gave a hint to Momo, who nodded in agreement as well. The moment her feet touched the ground Hinimara vanished in the fastest burst of sonido she could manage to put as much distance between her and Toshirou as possible. Momo on the other hand rubbed the place where her shirt had been digging into her neck from being lifted up in such a manner. "Shiro-chan?" A vein shot out of Toshirou's head as he let out a long sigh.

"Yes… Momo? What is it?"

"The book… have you read it?"

"Yes, I have. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was able to read a few pages before… I saw some of the recordings inside… Is it true?"

"… Those books never lie. What is recorded is what occurred. You know that."

"Yes, I do… but… what is says and what we were told… was everything a lie?"

"You were told I had been killed. You were told the battle over Karakura was between arrancar and shinigami. You were told Ichigo had been the one to betray Soul Society. As far as I can see, yes. Everything that surrounds the event at Karakura has been nothing but a web of lies and deceit. No doubt to hide their own shame, the bastards."

"When I first saw you, I was overjoyed that it **had** been a lie… but, it was because I thought you'd died that I trained so hard. I've diligently worked for twenty-five years to match swords with Kurosaki Ichigo… and now all the motivation I had seems as much a lie as everything else… after all my hard work I was still defeated."

"I know how you feel."

"But… but now I know you're alive we can return! You can come back to Soul Society and make things right! We should go back, right now!"

"I can't." Momo just looked confused as she stared at Toshirou. His face was determined, he meant what he said.

"Why?"

"Because there is nothing left in Soul Society for me to put faith in. When we deemed ourselves the judges of who lives and who dies… that is when what I stood for as a shinigami and as a captain died… it died in the skies of Karakura. It is not our place to judge the living! We are the guides of those who have already passed on! But… Soul Society saw it fit to change that, and so I saw it fit to leave."

"But… Ichigo plans to destroy Soul Society! Are you saying… you will help him do this?"

"Momo… can you trust in me?"

"What? Of course I trust in you! I've always trusted in you!"

"The you have to trust me now, we're doing the right thing. You may not understand, but if you stand by me through it all… everything will make sense soon. Just believe in me, I wouldn't steer you wrong."

"Of course, Shiro-chan! I'll trust you no matter what happens!" The vein made its grand reappearance on Toshirou's head as he almost ground his teeth into dust.

"That's… good… Momo. Glad to hear it." Toshirou just sighed as the bubbly girl followed after him. Perhaps it was a good idea to bring her with him. Of all the shinigami it was her he could count on the most… her and only one other. Besides… they needed all the allies they could get.


	16. Hearts and Minds Part 3

**Final part, and the end of the first "arc." I'm sure this will answer some questions for those DYING to know things... or not... we'll see.**

* * *

"No!" Rukia grabbed Sode no Shirayuki with her bare hand, not caring at all as the sharp edge dug deep into her palm. "I have not come this far for nothing! I won't back down! Not to you, not to anyone!"

"_Uh oh._" Rukia's eyes were alight as she threw her double's weapon aside. The white girl didn't miss a step as she swung again, but this time she hit nothing but air. "_Quit moving around! I'm trying to kill you._"

"You'll have to try harder for your victory!" Rukia whirled around again, the very tip of the sword cutting a gash through her sleeve. "I don't need a weapon; only the strength to persevere!"

"_Hey, no throwing stuff!_" This wasn't the end. There was no way Rukia could let herself fall, not after all she had just seen. So many memories flooded back to her, and stayed. The white girl might have the shadows… but there was no stopping now. Rukia clenched her hands into fists, ignoring the pain in her sliced palm. She would have one clean shot if she timed it just right, and that was all she needed. As the pale copy's sword moved through the motions of a horizontal swing Rukia ducked underneath with just enough time to spare that she almost felt the steel as it passed over her. Now was her chance. In as hard a leap as she could force herself into Rukia crushed her knee against the doppelganger's chin.

As the creature was hurled head over heels Rukia felt the twinge of static race up her leg as the upside-down world faded away. Within moments she was standing in the midst of a fierce storm. Lightning arced overhead as rain and wind pelted her. All about were ruined buildings, burning fires… and bodies. Strewn haphazardly through the scene of destruction were men and women and children… and among them were the corpses of fallen shinigami. This Rukia knew… and she wished she didn't. "Oh no… this is Karakura." Rukia looked to her side, she knew what would be waiting for her there. It was her shadow, standing with sword drawn and ready. She was facing down the traitor… Ichigo. It was that fateful day twenty-five years past.

Rukia remembered now. He'd been gone for months, as if Hueco Mundo had just swallowed him up… everything had been so peaceful until word of the battle over Karakura had come to her attention. When the report of Ichigo's betrayal had reached her ears Rukia couldn't have been more skeptical… until, she saw the utter carnage he had wrought. In that time of ignorance she had actually believed the notion that the man she loved had turned his back on her.

Watching the events unfold was nearly as painful now as they were the first time. Rukia could only cringe as she saw nearly three dozen shinigami charge their single target. They were coming in on every side, as if that tactic had ever worked before on him. Feeling herself beginning to shake Rukia watched as Ichigo lifted his sword. For a moment he seemed to fall out of focus, but he didn't move at all as every single soul reaper around him was cut to pieces. All of them but Rukia's shadow. "Ichigo… why… Why are you doing this?!"

He turned to look at her, his eyes were burning with rage. "Why? Because I have to! I had to make a choice! I thought you of all people would understand that!"

"But this is insanity, you're a captain!"

"I don't care! I know where my allegiances lie now! If you refused to see that, then you're no better than the rest of them! I trusted you! My home… my family… Rukia, I thought I knew you!" Another group of shinigami moved in from the billowing smoke. In a mere fraction of a second Ichigo had cut them all down, his zanpakutou coated in blood. The gruesome deed was done, and he turned back to glare at Rukia's shadow. He took a step towards her when a survivor, a young man nearly cut in half tried to grab Ichigo's ankle. He was rewarded with Zangetsu piercing his heart. "Stop this! You have to stop!"

Rukia knew this memory all too well. Her one greatest regret. She watched as her shadow tried to fight him, but he so easily swiped the sword from her hands. His eyes were so filled with anger they almost seemed darker… but there was something else. Rukia looked closer… she had never noticed it before… Ichigo was crying, tears were streaming down his face. Despite the drenching rain, she could see them as clearly as if the sun shone brightly. "Go ahead and stay there, Rukia. Cower there and cry. Move and you'll join the dead." She couldn't watch anymore. Rukia turned and was overtaken with the need to run. She couldn't bear it, tears were pouring down her cheeks as she tore over the rubble and ruin of the city.

She lost her footing over the slippery, rain-drenched rocks. Collapsing onto her chest Rukia dug her fingers through the dirt and grit underneath her she slammed a fist against the ground. "Oh Ichigo… I'm so sorry… I didn't see… I didn't see!!" She pushed herself up, soaked from head to toe and utterly filthy. She didn't care… not after witnessing the one act that pained her the most for a second time. She wished for all she was worth to go back, to change even a single detail if she could. She knew the truth… the awful truth that had been hidden from her for a quarter century. The true betrayal that had occurred had not been his… it had been hers. "If only I'd listened…"

"_Found you!_" The pale girl's cry was warning enough for Rukia to move away in time as the sword struck dirt and rock. "_Thinking you can play a dirty trick and hide from me? Well, if you want to play rough then I can dig it! How about a new game; let's play tag! I'll be it!_"

"I've had enough I can take of you!" Rukia dodged another strike as she threw herself into a punch, all the strength she could afford in a single attack. She was driven by sorrow, by pain… everything that burned her up inside. She wanted to be rid of it all, and if that meant fighting with her bare hands then so be it. Her fist connected with the white girl, and the scenery immediately began to change again. "You're coming with me this time! I'm not through with you!" Grabbing the double by the neck they both passed into the new memory.

Both of them went down, Rukia on top as she cracked her fist into her copy's face again and again. She was blinded by anger, by pained rage the likes of which she had never felt before. Every strike she landed shifted them to a new memory, a new place. The world was passing by as if in fast forward as Rukia unleashed everything she could. "I'm fed up with you! You play with my heart like it was some child's toy, and for that I can never forgive you!!" The copy tried to rise but was struck down again. Blood was seeping from her nose and eyes, but through it all she just started to laugh. Every strike just made it worse. As the blurring of a dozen different memories whirled around them, Rukia finally relented as the tears were coming again. "Just leave me alone…"

"_Aw, you poor baby._" The double took her chance and cracked her own fist across Rukia's cheek, knocking her aside. Despite the dizziness she felt from the strike Rukia charged again, but her enemy ducked from the attack and swung the zanpakutou low. Burning pain coursed through her legs as Rukia collapsed. She hissed as she saw both her knees cut open. "_You should've followed the rules, my dear Rukia. I thought I made it easy for us, but I guess I'll have to make it a little simpler. Besides, it's more fun this way._" The double lifted her sword as it began to glow. "_Seventh Dance, White Entrapment!_"

Long spikes of ice broke out of the ground beneath Rukia. They drove through her legs and arms, sending intolerable bursts of searing pain tearing through her. She couldn't help it… all she could do now was scream. "_That's it, I like that. Cry out, call for your precious Ichigo. See if he'll come save you for the… oh… ten thousandth time or so? I wonder if he even cares anymore for poor pathetic little Rukia. All that's happened to him thanks to you… nothing but bodily harm and heartache. For shame, for shame… I'll be doing him a favor._"

"You're… wrong…"

"_Am I? What has the strawberry head done for you that didn't end in massive physical discomfort of which hell hath none? Name one time! That's right, you can't! But I tell you what, I'm a nice gal… I'll give you one last look at him before you disappear._" As she felt herself going numb Rukia watched as the world shifted to night… a cliff side overlooking her old home in the Rukongai. There she was with him, the both of them silently watching the stars. He took her hand, and she fell against him as the moon moved out from behind a cover of clouds. "_Look at such beautiful moment. So lovely, so wonderful… young love… Well, he's young, heh. And oh, what is this?_" Rukia shut her eyes… she didn't want to watch. It was their first kiss… that night under the stars. The night he had come to her, said that he would stay with her. It was before the days of his place as a captain... back when things were less complicated.

"_How precious… at least that idiot has finally grown a brain. He isn't coming to rescue his little princess this time._" Rukia couldn't feel her arms or legs anymore. She couldn't see the streams of blood running down the icicles suspending her either. All she could see were the stars above… those glittering spots of light. As she stared at them, the fond memories of her times with Ichigo came slowly to her mind. All the times they'd laughed together, worked together, at her insistence of course… his big brotherly ways, his stern commanding presence, and his endearing scowl. How she missed him so. "_I like to think of this as my doing you a favor, dear Rukia. You really have nothing left to live for. Always getting in the way, always getting others hurt. Be honest with yourself, honey; it's time to move on._"

"I do… I do have… something…"

"_Oh? Well this is going to be good. Consider these your last words, I'm getting bored._"

"Ichigo… believed in me… but I was… afraid. He was willing… to sacrifice himself… so I could live for myself… I… failed him…. I'm the one who betrayed… him. I have to… live… have to show him… I can believe in him… too. I have… to stand by… him."

"… _Wow, that's it? That's all? I was expecting some profound reason, a mind-bending excuse… but that's all you've got? You have to live so you can 'believe in him too?' Whoa… I'm doing you a favor by putting you out of your misery. You should be thanking me._" The pale girl tapped Sode no Shirayuki against Rukia's neck before lifting it high. "_Sayonara my dear Rukia. It's been fun!_"

"Ichigo… please forgive me… I was such a fool…" She watched as the sword began to fall, her end at the edge of her own blade. "ICHIGO!!" The zanpakutou did not meet its target as the whole world was bathed in white. A gust of sheering wind tore over the land like a hurricane. The ice holding Rukia up was shattered in its wake, pelting the doppelganger with a shower of razors as she shielded herself from the wind and force that washed over her like a tidal wave. Rukia felt as if she was falling, but there was no ground beneath her to land against. She felt strong arms about her, holding her steady.

"Jeez, what did I tell you?" With wide eyes Rukia felt as the strong arms steadied her on her feet. The very touch banishing the pair inflicted by the icy spears, the wounds vanishing like frost in spring's thaw. "You shouldn't apologize so much, it doesn't become you." Rukia looked up into the man's face, and her heart could have stopped.

"Ichigo?"

"I thought I promised you I'd always be there when you needed me the most. A promise is a promise."

"But… how?" Rukia found her feet as Ichigo raised his hand. The pale copy shrieked as the broken horn she had taken was literally torn away. The moment it struck Ichigo's hand it changed. It was no longer a horn, but a sword… long and gleaming black. Reaching from behind her he set this new weapon in Rukia's hands and let go. "I gave you a piece of myself, a portion of my power. I knew you would need it. Take my sword, use it."

"… Ichigo."

"Rukia, I believe in you. No matter what has happened, what will happen, I trust you. You can do this. Now hurry… I'm waiting." Ichigo faded away, leaving Rukia standing with his zanpakutou in hand. She lifted it up and as a smile perked at the edges of her mouth she glared at her enemy; the blade between her eyes as she held it straight and true. "_That's… that's not fair! That wasn't supposed to happen!_"

"What's wrong… are you afraid?" The white girl just hissed as she charged forward again.

"_This is my world now! You can't win!_" Rukia drew Zangetsu back, it was humming in her hands as she watched the pale copy draw closer and closer. "_I'm the one who will be queen! I have the sword, I have the power, it belongs to me!! You won't beat me, not ever!!_"

"No, not alone I won't… but I'm not alone anymore." Slamming Zangetsu against Sode no Shirayuki Rukia and her copy were both locked in a match of raw force, like two comets colliding against one another. Two black blades, both the instruments of such power that they could shake the heavens themselves. "You were wrong." Rukia's strong voice echoed as she pressed harder and harder. "This is not your world to steal. You are not welcome in it. Now, back to the dark hole from which you crawled!" Zangetsu burned with black flames as Rukia drove onward. "Feel the fury of those who fight with me! Disappear!" The power burst forth, and all the world was filled with its light.

* * *

A white room. Rukia slowly opened her eyes as she stared upwards to the high ceiling. She felt a soft cushion under her head, a down blanket covering her. She blinked twice, trying to shake the feeling like every bone in her body had been shattered then mended back together. She was so tired, but there wasn't even a hint of desire to try and sleep now. It was finally over, she had won. After all that, even in the confines of her own inner world… he had come to help her. He would always come to help her, he made a promise.

Noticing a slight weight on her abdomen Rukia looked down slowly. Even the simplest movements felt as if she had to move a mountain, but the sight was well worth the effort. She saw a mass of orange hair lying against her side, his arm draped over her as he breathed softly. He had been sitting next to the bed, but had fallen asleep. Rukia smiled as she pushed a hand over and ran her fingers through his hair. "My hero."

"Mmm." Ichigo grunted sleepily as he stirred. Lifting his head he looked into Rukia's eyes, his own barely open. He didn't speak, and neither did she. She didn't mind the soreness anymore as he embraced her, and she found the strength to wrap her arms around him. He pulled her close as she buried her face in his shoulder, leading the moment on. She held him tight, not wanting to let go as she felt his hand against the back of her head. As she sank into his arms she knew it was the only place she wanted to be after all she'd just been through. "I thought I'd lost you." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Ichigo… it was all my fault.. can you ever forgive me?"

"Hey now, none of that again." Drawing back a little Ichigo wiped the tear away that was falling from Rukia's eye as he grinned. "I should have forgiven you a long time ago… but none of that matters now. Welcome back."

As the moment dragged on Rukia wished it could simply last forever. It was perfect, like a dream from the long lost past made true again. Finally Ichigo pulled away to sit on the bedside, helping Rukia to lean her back against the headboard. She looked so tired with dark circles that drug down her face, but her eyes sparkled brightly. She was alive, that is what meant the most. "Ichigo?"

"Hmm?" She took his hand in hers and gripped it tightly.

"Did you… I mean… do you remember… anything about what just happened to me?" She felt his other hand against her cheek and she covered it with her own. He looked at her, and she saw the twinkle in his eye as he smiled. He did not answer, and Rukia felt it was likely she would never know for sure… but that didn't matter. She knew above all that he was there whenever she needed him. And from that moment forward she would be by his side whenever he needed her.

A soft knock at the door broke Ichigo's attention away from her and he stood. Rukia just sat back as he opened the door ever so slightly. "What? Yes, she's awake… I don't think... alright, come on in." He opened it a little more as a pair of girls walked in. Her eyes immediately locked onto the fact that a pair of arrancar had just entered… but something about them looked so familiar. "Go easy you two, she just woke up." The arrancar wore almost identical clothing. Rukia noticed that both had a visible number on their stomach, they were espada. But, Ichigo was at ease, and that helped Rukia relax a little.

The two arrancar took a seat on either side of the bed. The brown-haired one just smiled as she sat forward. "You're looking so much better now, Rukia. I'm happy you finally woke up."

"You'd think after all that she'd look worse." The black-haired one scoffed, but her eyes were kind. Rukia felt a lump rise in her throat… she knew these faces all too well. How could she not have recognized them before? "Oh my god… Karin… Yuzu!"

"She remembers me!" The brown-haired arrancar hugged Rukia tightly… a little too much so as the patient gave a pained cough. "Oh, sorry…"

"Our names are Noel and Fade now. I'm Noel, she's Fade. Karin and Yuzu are who we were... once."

"But… you know me?"

"We're special. Hollows or not, we know what we once were… well… Fade had to be re-educated after a certain 'incident' involving the orange-haired idiot behind me."

"Not my fault."

"Oh yes it was your fault!"

"Hey, is that any way to talk to your superior?"

"No, it's how I talk to my brother!"

"Hey, hey, quit that!" Noel had Ichigo's head in the crook of her arm as she grinded her knuckles through his hair. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Quit it!" Rukia didn't hold it back as she laughed. It felt good. Fade just grinned as the other two continued their little tussle, the remaining of it consisting mostly of Noel yanking on Ichigo's own mask fragment. "If it weren't for Ichigo, we might never have been able to recall anything about who we were. He saved us."

"Yes, he did." Rukia couldn't help but grin as she watched the "entertainment."

"I'm sure you're a bit curious about everything, but right now we think you should rest. We just wanted to be sure you were doing alright."

"I'm just glad to see you again… ah… um, Yuzu."

"It's Fade… Fade Snowbourne."

"Fade… but why? Why did you take a different name?"

"Because it's who I am. Just because I remember who I was does not change who I am."

"Always the poetic one, eh Fade? Stop wiggling you orange buffoon!"

"Stop, that's attached to my face!" Ichigo made it to the door and hurled Noel out the opening. "Trying to have a moment here! Fade, could you please control the raven-haired terror?"

"Right. Have to go, Rukia. But good to see you again." Fade ran after her twin as Ichigo shut the door behind them.

"Ugh… they're no better than they used to be… only now they have swords."

"So… you saved your sisters by turning them into hollows?"

"No, I found them **as hollows** in Hueco Mundo. I guess a lot of those with strong spiritual energies were pulled there. Tatsuki, Yuzu, Karin… a few others…" His voice was trailing away as Ichigo came to sit by the bed again. "I've looked, but those are the only ones I've been able to find. Uryu, Chad… Orihime…" Rukia just took hold of Ichigo's arm and squeezed it a little.

"You saved me, you saved your sisters… doesn't that count for something?" Ichigo smiled, and Rukia shared in it.

"Yeah, I guess it does."

* * *

Outside the room Noel and Fade just stood beside the door as they grinned at one another. They listened as the conversation inside quieted to nothing. "You think-"

"I think we should give them some time to themselves. Come on, we have work to do anyway."

"An espada's duty is never done." The sisters walked side by side down the hall, leaving Rukia and Ichigo alone to themselves. It had been a long time, they had a lot of catching up to do.

* * *

**The next arc of the story begins soon... The Tides of War have come. Soul Society charges headlong into Hueco Mundo, ready to destroy their enemies once and for all. But, not everything is as it seems in the sands and white stone of the desert fortress.**


	17. Hide and Seek

**And ya'll thought i was going to make you wait... well... I guess I kind of did, but here's the next arc's beginning! Happiness.**

**And a very special thanks to ~Minako25~. She has officially made my week... and probably the rest of my deployment... much more fun.**

* * *

The sound of blades striking against each other rang even through the thick doors. Listening to the sounds inside brought a grin to Hinimara's face; she could hear Sana's constant instructions even while she clashed swords. "Put more emphasis on your lead foot, but the rear is your base! The force and power of a strike comes from the base, control is employed by the lead!" The strikes continued. "Don't put all your weight forward! Come on, use your wrists… there, that's good! Remember, you must be away of your whole body, every muscle is used! Think of it like a dance, now try again!" Hinimara just shook her head and chuckled as she listened. One of the training sessions the fourth espada would put her single fraccion through. She often tended to shout at unnecessary volumes when engaged in said sessions.

"Good sweep, but you need to focus more on your parry and riposte! Take advantage of any and all situations! I don't care if your sword is heavy!" Pushing the door open as quietly as possible Hinimara slipped inside to watch. She muffled her laugh with a hand as she observed the two arrancar smash at each other. Juna looked positively hilarious as she waved her gigantic zanpakutou around… though with surprising strength and dexterity. She was using it more like a hammer than a sword, smashing rather than cutting… but every few seconds or so she would perform a technique that made Hinimara's eyebrows rise. It was quite good, Sana was an excellent teacher.

"Your weapon is big, and it has a lot of weight! Use that! You can overpower another's defenses with a single attack if you can just remain focused and calm!" The little girl leapt and brought her broadsword down on the espada's crossed blades. She was wielding one in each hand, a common practice for the fourth. Hinimara's expression had changed to surprise as the espada, an arrancar with physical strength proven to equal Grimmjow's, was forced down to her knee. An uncannily impressive show of strength. "Good, Juna! Very good!"

While longer than she was tall and as wide as two hands placed side-by-side the zanpakutou Juna wielded moved with surprising haste and skill. It was even more unbelievable as she parried one of Sana's jabs and took immediate advantage to lunge the thick blade forward. Despite the display Hinimara could tell that the fourth was going easy on her child-like fraccion. If it were truly blow for blow than Sana would have used her own zanpakutou, not the trophies she had collected. Finally with a twist of her arm and a quick flick Sana redirected the other arrancar's sword to dig into the ground where she stomped on it with a foot to keep it down. "That's fine for today. Your defenses still need work, but you've been practicing your strikes. Good job."

"Y-y-yes… I… I have."

"Now, let's out your money where your mouth is and see that cero you were bragging about earlier."

"I-I-I… don't think…"

"Oh you worry too much. There's only espada in this room so there's no danger of hurting anyone. Isn't that right my shady eavesdropper?"

"Most certainly, we'll be perfectly fine. But just to be safe you should aim for her, Sana **is** my superior after all."

"And I trust you to watch my back in a fight? Traitor," Sana said, grinning despite her words. Turning back to her fraccion the fourth ruffled the girl's short hair. "Now come on, Juna. You actually completed two whole sentences you were so excited about this. Let's see it."

"O-o-okay…" Vanishing for a moment Sana reappeared nearly thirty meters away and motioned for Juna to go ahead. The fraccion's attention was intent on her teacher. The sense of energy flowing into the small girl could be felt like a stiff breeze as she gathered all she could. "That's right, focus! Bring it to you! Condense and then just let it fly out on its own! It's that easy!" Juna opened her mouth as a ball of red light began to grow in front of it. It seemed stable, but then after a moment began to shrink. The fraccion noticed this, but she wasn't beaten yet as she forced it to continue charging by sheer will. Though as she put more effort into it the orb began to take an irregular shape. "Concentrate; don't let it backfire before you can release it! The recoil will blow you up if you aren't careful!"

Taking a deep breath Juna drew her head back. "Cero!!" Her whole upper body rocked forward as a perfectly formed cero blast erupted from her mouth. The beam sailed straight and true at Sana, its intense light illuminating a sharp-toothed grin on the espada's face as she raised her arm. The red blast slammed against her hand, the energy stopping dead against her as arcs shot out and around from the wide beam. Sana squeezed her fingers until she almost formed a fist and swiped her arm down to vanquish the cero completely. Juna blew out a puff of smoke as she smiled timidly. "I… I did it."

"Yes, you did," Sana praised with a light catch to her voice, though she hid her hand behind her back. She didn't want to expose the fact it was glowing red hot. "You did a good job today, Juna. You can go and find your friends now, just don't break anything this time." The little arrancar beamed as she ran off towards the door, dragging her immense zanpakutou behind her as it dug a tiny ditch in the stone in her wake. "And don't you dare go in the Hall of Echoes again! Ichigo nearly had my head on a platter for last time!"

"I won't!" The door closed behind the fraccion as she ran down the hall, the grinding of her blade on the floor fading away as she left. Once alone Hinimara approached the other espada with a sly smirk on her face. Her superior was shaking her hand and blowing on it, trying to remove the last bits of glowing red as smoke and heat ripples surrounded the whole thing. "Something wrong with your hand?"

"I've stopped hungry Menos with less destructive force than that blast. That kid has spirit."

"I think I see why you like you so much, despite the whispers of disapproval for selecting such a weak arrancar as your fraccion."

"Whispers? Who's been talking about me behind my back?"

"Nothing you should be concerned about, my friend. Like I said, whispers… that means rumors, which generally comes with gossip. Never trust in gossip."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"I like seeing you flustered," Hinimara added with her sly smirk still bent across her face.

"Hmm," Sana grunted as she retracted her remaining sword back up into her sleeve. "So what brings you down here? Looking for me?"

"But of course."

"What do you want then?"

"Why is it that I always seem to require a hidden agenda just to come and see a friend?"

"Don't patronize me; you always have something on your mind. You can't switch it off. I'd almost go on a limb and say you're as bad as that recluse Szayel… always in the basement tinkering with newer and stranger gadgets… So why are you looking for me?"

"Just here to keep you out of trouble, Master Hitsugaya's orders... or he was going to put Noel and Fade on me. Those two creep me out so much."

"They're just stronger than you, that doesn't make them 'creepy.'" Sana crossed her arms and grave a raised eyebrow, her skepticism was growing stronger.

"Yes it does. The black-haired one-"

"Noel."

"I can never keep them straight… well, Noel is always giving me those smirks that chill me to my bones, and Fade bleeds enough spiritual pressure to make it nearly hard to breath whenever I walk past her. Those two are not natural… I'd rather spend time with Harribel… at least she doesn't talk."

"What do you expect? You haven't been here as long as the rest of us. You have to get used to the twins, it takes a while. Now stop changing the subject or you're going to piss me off. You have something on your mind; I can see it in your eyes. Spill… now."

"Why can I never have a friendly conversation with you?"

"You can never swindle the swindler. I know when someone is lying or trying to hide something and you only make small talk to me when you're doing either of those." Hinimara could see by the critical expression on Sana's face that she was caught.

"Fine, you're right… but could we at least take a walk? I feel more at ease when my feet are moving."

"You and your walks," Sana commented with a sigh as she shrugged. "Alright, it isn't like I have anything better to do today. Let's go."

* * *

The soft pattering steps echoed lightly through the long hallway as Juna ran behind a pillar. She stifled a giggle as Shun pushed in next to her. "Ssh, she'll hear you and find us. Stop laughing," the other arrancar hissed through his teeth.

"B-but… she's…"

"I know, she's supposed to find us… but don't make it easy for her."

"Found you!!"

"Ah! Juna, you-"

"Don't blame it on her when you got caught fair and square!" Shin pounced as Shun and Juna ran in opposite directions.

"I'll get you for this you giggler!"

"Don't be so stingy, Shun! It's not her fault you're so horrible at finding your own spot! Now, stop running away so I can tag you!"

"You'll have to catch me, little girl!"

"Little? We're the same height you bone-headed moron!"

"I'm telling Master Fade you're calling me names again!"

"It doesn't matter to me, Noel let's me do what I please!" Juna was following after them, giggling the whole time as the two pushed through the doors to one of the meeting halls. Skidding to a halt Juna just stared… Sana had specifically told her that she was not supposed to go in any of the meeting halls, they were for espada only. "Sh-Sh-Shin? Sh-Shun?" No answer, no sounds at all. "… This… this i-i-isn't… funny." She pushed against the door trying to open it a little wider; it was quite heavy indeed. Slipping inside the gap Juna saw how dark it was inside… she didn't like the dark at all. "…H-hello?" Still no answer. "Are… are w-we still… p-playing? We're not s-s-supposed t-to… be in h-here." Her voice was the only noise in the room. "I'll… be it… b-but we… we… w-we have to g-g-go somewhere… e-e-else!" She thought she heard a stifled giggle from inside, they were hiding from her.

Juna thought about it for a moment. Sana had said she was only supposed to stay out of the Hall of Echoes. Maybe it was okay, just this time. "O-o-okay… ready or n-not…" Walking deeper into the darkness of the meeting hall Juna looked this way and that. What she could see from the open door's light was the room was filled with pillars, smaller than those outside but there were more of them in here. They all surrounded a long table in the center, tall chairs arranged around it. That looked like a perfect hiding place.

Hopping over Juna scooted underneath and looked around. She was alone at the table's legs; maybe it wasn't such a good place… It was where she would have hidden… Crawling to the other side Juna stood and took another peek from her spot, the dark was making her more and more uneasy… but hide and seek was fun. Not only that but inside this room there were so many pillars to hide behind, she would just have to check them all. Placing her back up against one she knocked her knuckles together nervously, but still had to muffle her giggle as she heard something shuffle. Someone was hiding near her, and she was going to find them. She loved giving her friends a good scare!

Peeking around the first pillar she came to, Juna found nothing. Shin and Shun were good at this game, but not that good. They were close, she could almost smell them. Placing her hand against the next pillar Juna felt her skin touch something damp. "… W-wet?" She couldn't see it clearly, it was too dark so she just wiped it off on her clothes and kept going. She checked the next pillar, still nothing. That's when she saw it… there in the dark she thought she could make out a hand. Moving as sneakily as possibly Juna approached the hiding place, fighting for all she was worth not to snicker. Leaping out with a wide grin on her face she landed with arms raised up. "Found you!!" It was Shin… but she wasn't running like she was supposed to. "H-hey… I found… y-you. Don't… d-don't you… run away?" Juna poked the other arrancar in the shoulder… and nothing happened.

"… Shin? Are you… o-o-okay? Shin?" She shook her friend, and felt the same dampness on her hand again. Looking at it Juna couldn't tell what it was. All she could see was that one hand was now darker than the other, the room was too dim to tell for sure. "This… is wet? Why… why a-a-are you… w-wet?" Juna gave Shin a firm push, trying to rouse her friend but only succeeded in knocking her over. Shin slumped down onto her side, and Juna saw the trail of dark on the floor leading to the fallen arrancar. "… Shin?" Juna felt she was shaking as she stared down at her friend. Shin wasn't moving at all, she wasn't even breathing. Fear gripped the small girl as she jumped back, terrified as she tried to get away.

Shin was not sleeping, she wasn't pretending either. She had always been horrible at pretending. As Juna looked down at her hand again she backed into the beam of light from the open door. Dark red liquid was dripping from her hand, it was smeared over her uniform… and she felt her heart almost stop as she recognized it. She was covered in blood. Speechless she could only follow the trail from Shin to the back wall with her eyes… and there she saw several more bodies strewn about. She couldn't have stopped shaking now if she tried. She recognized her peers… her friends… they were the other fraccion. "Ah… ah, ah… no… no p-p-please…" She couldn't get her voice above a fearful whisper as she heard the same shuffle in the darkness. It was behind her, but her fear gripped so tightly now her feet refused to move. She didn't even turn around to see, just kept rigid as she stared at the bodies. "S-Sana… S-S-Sana, help…"

"Ju…na…" Eyes wide as dinner plates Juna looked to the ground at her side as a hand reached up to her. "…Run… Ju…na…" It was Shun, his face cut open, his back and side sliced up like he'd been forced through a meat grinder. Juna couldn't breathe, couldn't think, as if every nerve and muscle in her body was seizing up. Only two things burned through her mind like hot coals, run and scream. She did both. "AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs as she charged for the door. She could barely see through her tears as pure terror clawed at her chest. She had to get away, anywhere would be better than the meeting hall. She was just passing the table's end, only a little bit left and she was free from the darkness. Just a few more feet to safety.

It was not to be. Juna's sanctuary was torn from her as the door slammed shut. The room was plunged into near total darkness as she slammed against the new obstacle. "No! P-p-please… no!!" She pounded against the thick stone, trying desperately at the handle… but it was just too heavy for her. She was tired from her training with Sana, and the door was made to be opened by the espada. It was far too heavy for her.

Juna turned and pressed her back against the door behind her. She couldn't see, and her breaths were coming in short, quick bursts as she hyperventilated. She had to get out somehow. Nothing else mattered but escaping the blood-soaked darkness squeezing all around her. Juna pushed off and tore blindly through the room, choking cries sputtered from her throat as she almost tripped over something; she had no desire to learn what. A sharp pain suddenly ripped through her leg and Juna collapsed to slide over the smooth floor. "No! I… I don't… Ah!" She squeaked in pain as she held a hand against the gash on her thigh. It hurt so terribly. The feeling of something pressing down hard against the hand over her wound brought another cry from Juna's lips. The foot pushed harder and harder, and the cutting pain came again at her shoulder this time.

She couldn't feel her arm anymore… her ability to stand gone; whether out of fear or out of pain, it didn't matter. The foot withdrew, and Juna heard it step through a puddle of blood to the side... hers. It was her blood that was pooling out. "This was too easy. I didn't even have to look for the rest, they came to me." The sickly sweet voice spoke out from the darkness. Juna could feel the puddle beneath her growing wider, she was bleeding so much… all she could do was choke back a sob as she turned onto her stomach and tried to crawl back towards the door. A feeling of pure agony tore through her back as the blade impaled her to the floor, digging into the polished stone. Juna didn't even have the strength left to scream, falling onto her face as each blink became harder and harder.

As her thoughts grew hazy Juna thought she heard a series of beeps. Then, the same voice spoke out of the all-consuming darkness of the meeting hall. "Everything is ready. It's time to begin." There was no way Juna could even understand what that could mean… but a small voice in the back of her mind shouted that it could not be good. Someone bad was planning something even worse. Nobody knew! No one had noticed! Juna knew if she couldn't stop this bad person then everyone was in trouble. It was time to do something worthwhile, if only she hadn't put her zanpakutou back in her room!

A thought… more of an idea actually. One she would have never considered until now. Her training from only a short while ago. That was it, and she knew exactly what to do. The only thing left she could accomplish. Juna began to draw as much spirit energy as she could, even sacrificing her own as she charged the red orb before her face. Pushing herself onto her back, dislodging the sword from the ground in the process, she let it shine brightly through the whole room. The orb grew larger and larger, even bigger than the one she had practiced on her teacher. It was already warping and twisting like putty as Juna pushed as much power as she could into it. The bigger the better.

Her eyes shifted down to look at a pair of legs running towards her, but they looked like they were moving in slow motion. The attacker passed by, retrieving the sword out of Juna before running for the door. Juna just smiled as she thought of the perfect thing to say as she forced the last bit of her spirit energy into the ball. "Found… you…"

She let her concentration go; her focus went to the stars and clouds as she thought back to fonder times. The ball almost imploded as it shrunk down to barely a speck, and in a single bright flash the cero backfired. The condensed spiritual force of the orb was unleashed in a massive explosion. The meeting hall was consumed and the outside wall blasted apart as the whole room detonated like a bomb.

* * *

Every eye and ear anywhere near the fortress turned to look as a billowing cloud of smoke rose up from the hole in the palace's wall. Dozens of arrancar were already rushing to investigate this disturbance, swords drawn and ready for anything. But, above them all, a single cry shook the very sand beneath their feet as a streak tore through the sky. Sana shot towards the column of smoke, her cry the only word she could think; the only thing on her mind that she could speak. "JUNA!!!"


	18. Bloody Tides

**Yes, I know I haven't uploaded in a while. I've been busy with moving to a different base in afghanistan... which has taken up a lot of my time. Once the move actually happens I may be out of contact for a little while, but it shouldn't be longer than a week or so. So, here's an upload to tide everyone over. That and this chapter has really been kicking my ass, I think I rewrote it about a dozen times. Finally got it the way I like it though! Just what everybody likes, action! And lot's of it.**

**Reader's beware, this is about to go "tournament-style" real fast. That and I'll be posting some story notes at the bottom called "Zanpakutou Files." New characters and new swords galore!**

* * *

"JUNA!!" Sana and Hinimara tore into the burning remains of the meeting hall. The smell of ash, fire, and blood filled the air. The smoke alone was so thick barely anything could be seen through the haze. "Where are you, Juna?! Answer me!" Sana began tearing through the rubble with vicious abandon as the other espada joined in. Grabbing a hold of a massive fallen pillar Hinimara lifted the whole thing and threw it out the gaping hole where the wall had been.

She looked down with wide eyes and immediately crouched down to shift more of the debris. Her suspicion was confirmed. "Sana, I found her!"

"Juna!" The fourth was by her comrade's side in moments. "Oh no… Juna…" The little girl looked terrible. She was burnt and bloodied, but as they watched the little girl stirred ever so slightly.

"She's still alive!"

"We have to get her out of her! Help me!" The little fraccion looked up at her espada with the only eye not swollen shut. She was cut, she was bloody… but she was alive. Sana and Hinimara both tore at the remaining wreckage as they dug the poor girl out. When she was finally exposed from the rubble Sana saw just how badly her fraccion was hurt. She even had deep gashes cut into her… wounds not caused by a cero of any form she had ever seen. Especially not one that just backfired. "Juna, just hold on, I'm getting you out of here." Juna's gaze just remained on her espada for a moment. She wasn't even trying to speak, likely for the best.

Sana watched as Juna's stare shifted to behind the fourth, and she immediately froze. She felt, despite the spiritual haze from the exploding cero, another presence. An unfamiliar one. She followed her fraccion's gaze without moving her head at all as she tried to look out of the farthest corner of her eyes. A sudden spike of spiritual pressure filled the room as a voice called out. "Destruction arts, number four! Blue Lightning!" The burst of sapphire electricity shot out from the smoky haze towards the fourth. She watched it approach, knowing even she wasn't fast enough to bring up any defenses in time; she could only watch.

The air suddenly fell out of focus as the bolt slammed against a mass of bright golden glow that appeared between it and its target. Sana just grinned as she watched the kido spell fade away. Hinimara fully materialized herself standing between the hidden assailant and her superior. "Here it comes." The sound of metal drawing out of a sheath came as a figure rushed out of the smoke and swung its weapon. The meeting blades rang as Hinimara pulled her own zanpakutou out and held steadfast between Sana and this assassin. The fourth lifted her hand and a sword shot out into her grip from her sleeve. She was more than ready and willing to hack this intruder into a thousand pieces.

Before she could join this standoff Hinimara shot a glare at her superior, one that obviously said "stay back." "What are you doing?! Get Juna out of here, go!" Sana looked past her comrade and got a good look at the attacker her friend had stopped dead. She bared sharp teeth as she recognized the uniform immediately. It could have boiled her blood right then and there it was so familiar. "Shinigami!!" The moment the cry broke a chorus of shouts and cries rose up from outside as a second deafening explosion filled the air. Sana could barely contain herself now as she nearly leapt into the action. But, before she even rose the fourth felt a small hand grasp hers. Looking down Sana watched Juna wince and knew immediately that she had more important matters to deal with.

Scooping her wounded fraccion up the fourth regarded her comrade and the crimson-haired shinigami woman she was holding at bay. "Hinimara, I'm leaving this filth to you. Show no mercy!" Sana was gone in a flash as the fifth kept the red-haired woman from following with a sweep of her sword. They squared off, staring into each other's eyes as they waited to make a move.

Hinimara regarded her opponent carefully. She was tall, very tall. That blood colored hair seemed to go wherever it pleased, and was contrasted heavily by a pair of sickeningly bright green eyes. The shinigami just chuckled to herself as she looked at Hinimara, as short and skinny as arrancar come. "You know, I'm surprised how easy it was to sneak into this place. I've heard so many rumors about arrancar being numerous and incredibly powerful… but the few I've met were so easy to kill it's embarrassing."

"So, you did this?"

"Well, not alone. I won't take all the credit, that wouldn't be right of me." The two women held their swords at ready as they slowly walked in a circle opposite one another. "I have to say though; I thoroughly enjoy sneak missions. Attrition always has its… allures."

"You talk a lot for someone who just stepped way out of her league."

"You, out of my league? It only took four of us to target and dispense with every single one of the second most powerful group of arrancar in this whole blasted place. Who do you even think you are admonishing me like that?!"

"Mas Espada, Quinto... Hinimara Avarii… I am the fifth espada." The red haired woman shut her mouth, though she couldn't help but let a nervous smile crawl back into view.

"An espada? Well I've always wanted to fight one of your kind."

"Be careful what you wish for."

"Save your preaching for someone who cares, I'm just here to kill my enemies."

"That's your purpose here? Simple murder?"

"Murder? Who said anything about it being murder? This is righteous judgment! The traitor Kurosaki has threatened the sanctity of Soul Society for the last time! We have come to quiet him and his followers once and for all!"

"I see, then that would make us enemies to the bitter end if it is indeed your goal to destroy us. I serve Lord Kurosaki, even to death if need be."

"Then I will offer a swift means to that end. My name is Daibaru Kayami, Vice Captain of the Ninth Division under honorable Captain Hisagi Shuhei! It is time I added a numbered arrancar to my tally." Kayami drew her blade back and ran forwards as she struck at her opponent with all her strength. She couldn't help but gawk as her sword met against Hinimara's arm. Her bare arm.

"You will have to try much harder than that." Her zanpakutou in hand the fifth threw off her enemy and struck with her own weapon with steely determination. The lieutenant suddenly found herself on the complete defensive. She was hard pressed to even block the unending series of strikes and blows the espada unleashed. Each attack melded into the next, not a single movement out of place or wasted. Hinimara could feel the layer of blood coating her opponent's sword flying off and landing on her face, see it fall on her clothes… but she didn't relent. She pushed the shinigami out the hole in the wall and with one very powerful attack sent her sliding backwards as if she'd just been struck by a battering ram.

Kayami felt a bead of sweat making its way down the side of her face as she recovered from the blistering assault. This espada was good… impossibly good. She'd never faced someone so skilled with the blade. The break was quickly concluded as Hinimara began her assault anew. Each strike shook the lieutenant's sword so much that the hilt was scraping at the bare flesh of her palms. "How does it feel to fear for your life, shinigami? What is it like staring a vastly superior opponent in the face? My comrade's fraccion was not a warrior, she was not an arrancar bent on destruction. You will find very few of us remain that find that goal appealing."

"Who cares?! You're still hollows!"

"And she was just an innocent child. She's never harmed anyone as long as she's lived. Is this how Soul Society intervenes in their troubles? Mass murder… genocide?"

"Now who's talking a lot?" The vice-captain grunted as Hinimara swung hard and sent her skidding across the sky as she drew a pair of mist-like trails in her wake.

"If you will not listen then very well. Your heart is as hard as stone and I see no reason in continuing in holding back. I've fought a captain, Lieutenant Daibaru. You are of no consequence compared to that."

"You fought a captain in the living world! A place where are true powers are sealed from us! This desert is a whole new battlefield. I will not be beaten by a hollow! Let me show you how a true shinigami does battle!!" Lifting her sword up Kayami pointed it downwards and turned it as one would a key. "Feast, Toketsu!" The blood covering her sword flew off into thousands of tiny droplets as the whole weapon melted into a viscous crimson liquid. The fierce red in the vice-captain's hair ran like water to float in the air alongside the rest of the released zanpakutou. Her true color was a platinum silver, making her skin look unnaturally pale. "I'm not a master of kido; I have no true skill with the art of swordplay. There is really only one reason I wear this badge, why I was chosen as a lieutenant! Allow me to show it to you!!"

Hinimara just gripped her sword a little tighter. Now the true fight began. "Finally."

* * *

The quiet of the large room made for a perfect study environment. It was dark and peaceful, everything Toshiro needed as he read the record keeper on the desk before him. The more he read though the less at peace he felt. The anxiety of the looming conflict he knew was approaching only served to make that feeling worse. He didn't know when Soul Society would come, but he knew it was only a matter of time. They seemed truly bent on not only Ichigo's final destruction, but erasing anything left by Aizen's passing.

Despite this concern the foremost thought on the young man's mind was the book of records. An unbiased account of the incident over Karakura. No listed motive, no reason for the order other than it was issued and carried out. Through all the reading though something nagged at the back of Toshiro's mind like an itch he couldn't scratch. "If the object had truly been to prevent future attempts at the acquiring of the king's key… why were such extreme measures used? Soul Society has never interfered in the living world before. A whole army was used against a single city of innocent civilians… and then the matter of Ichigo's return. Who alerted him? He couldn't have known unless someone purposefully informed him of what was occurring. None of this makes any sense at all."

Toshiro slid his chair out from the desk and stood up. He was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't notice he was unconsciously freezing the entire room. "He killed nearly all the attacking shinigami. Barely two hundred were able to limp back to Soul Society after I pushed him through the garganta… which is yet another mystery. The garganta… where had it come from?"

"Shiro-chan?" Hinamori's voice cut through the silence; though Hitsugaya had been voicing his thoughts out loud he hadn't even noticed it. He just sighed as he felt a hot-blooded frustration rising in him by the use of his hated nickname.

"Momo… what is it?"

"Am I disturbing?"

"No, I was just thinking." He looked at her with his usual stoic expression, but Toshiro's sharp eyes picked out a detail he had missed only a moment before. "Where are your escorts? The two arrancar that were with you?"

"Oh, I don't know… I haven't seen them for a few minutes."

"Odd… it isn't like Grimmjow's subordinates to wander off." Momo strode up until she was only an arm's length from Toshiro as he looked down at her. She was smiling innocently, her eyes closed. "Well, what are you doing here? This is my private study… I go here to be alone."

"I just had something I needed to say to you. Something very important."

"What is it?" The sound of a huge explosion rocked the whole room. It startled Hitsugaya enough that he took a step forward to catch his balance as he looked this way and that. "What the hell was that?!" Toshiro suddenly stiffened, his eye twitched slightly as his gaze slowly turned downwards. He saw the sword imbedded in his stomach, likely jutting a good ways out from his back it had pushed so deeply.

"I wanted to tell you that I won't be tricked again. I was deceived once before by a traitor just like you. Someone I loved who was only using me. I promised myself I would never be led astray again." She wrenched the blade from Toshiro's midsection as he fell to his knees, blood pouring from the wound. He glared up at her, gritting bloody teeth as the coppery taste filled his mouth. "Now it is my chance to turn the tables." Momo reached into her jacket and pulled out her communicator, and all Toshiro could feel was a deep sinking feeling. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You even let me keep my sword without a hint of suspicion."

"I… trusted you."

"No, **I** trusted **you**! Just like I trusted Aizen all those years ago! Now, I'm not that stupid, naïve little airhead anymore. It's all over for you and Kurosaki's horde of abominations. Things will go back to the way they were. I won't cry for this, to me you died twenty-five years ago." As he watched Toshiro saw a figure emerge from the darkness of the room. He just clenched his teeth as he recognized the eleventh division captain, Abarai Renji. He was looking down at the former captain with a look of disdain. Setting his eyes back on his attacker Toshiro watched her as she drew Tobiume back. "Today marks the end of the traitor, and the final remnants of Aizen's treachery." Momo's eyes just glared down at the deep turquoise of Toshiro's… and he spoke words she would never have expected.

"So be it then, if you are so set in your resolve." She couldn't break free of the grasp his eyes had her in. She felt something stir within her heart, a feeling of regret trying to claw its way to the surface. She banished it; there was no time for guilt or for second thoughts. She was determined to never be tricked by a traitor ever again… she could not allow it now that she wore the mantle of a captain. "I will never be led astray by your or anyone else ever again! This is your end, traitor!"

"No." A hand clamped down on Hinamori's zanpakutou before she could even swing. She whirled around to try and free her weapon as she was struck in the chest by the newcomer's flat palm. The blow lifted her off her feet as she was sent sliding over the slick marble. Renji's sword was already out and ready, but he didn't seem to even want to move as he stared at this new enemy. One he knew by sight and word of mouth alone. "Ulquiorra Scifer… the fourth espada…"

"Only cowardly trash would do something as underhanded as turning another's trust against them. How pathetic." Lifting his hand up to his jacket Ulquiorra pulled it aside as he showed off his right shoulder. "Such foolishness to believe we were ignorant to your coming. It is policy for equals to watch over one another. I am not the fourth anymore, shinigami... you couldn't be more wrong. I am the Primero Renovar." The big "1" was etched at angle just under the pale arrancar's collarbone. "Intruders within my home shall not be tolerated. Trash such as you is unwelcome here."

"Sorry to disappoint but we won't leave just because you asked nicely. Roar, Zabimaru!"

* * *

All through the fortress more and more conflicts broke out as the shinigami poured into its walls. There were so many of them that they were already overwhelming what little resistance remained after the work of their scouts. Though battles were rising up all around, even in the sky, a small peace still remained in the deepest room. Within its sanctum several figures stood as they regarded the man who lounged next to the throne. "They've finally come. This is the moment we have waited for, have prepared for… and now it is here... finally."

Ichigo strode down the stairs as he looked at the arrancar before him. Though his face was turned down in a scowl, the espada before him knew his heart was racing to enter the fray. The thirst for battle they all knew burned within their leader as he looked down at each and every one of them. "They have come to our home to finish what they started twenty-five years ago. To finally end us all. So be it… but I promised them once before and I will say it again. The day of Karakura's destruction is their deadline… when it comes then Soul Society will burn. Now go, you all know what to do." The espada all dispersed as Ichigo let the hints of a smirk peak at the edge of his mouth. Everything was going exactly how he'd planned it.

He turned as he felt a presence approach behind him. The smirk broke out as he looked at her. Her white garb made her look almost angelic. "You're sure you're ready?"

"There's no going back now. I couldn't live with myself knowing… or even worse… not knowing. I already told you, Ichigo. I'll be at your side, no matter what. I made a promise."

"Then let's end this."

* * *

**AU: Zanpakutou Files**

**Ninth Division Lieutenant Daibaru Kayami: Toketsu - "Bloody Vomit;" a zanpakutou that seems to hold onto the spilt blood of its kills, its release command is "Feast."**


	19. Ties of the Past

**Okay, this new place sucks, afghanistan sucks, and my life sucks with it! Don't be expecting very many updates from now on because simply finding time to write is killing me. I will try my damndest to keep these coming... but in no way will they be smooth and scheduled like they were. Maybe one a week... but likely two chapters a month is more plausible. Sorry everybody, work before pleasure.**

**Oh yeah... one more thing. Everybody needs to go look at _Minako25_'s deviant-art page (same username, just to be clear). Don't argue with me, just do it. Not only has she given me the gift of awesome fanart for my fanfic but her other stuff is outstanding. Go do it... right after this chapter. =)  
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* * *

Sana pushed herself to go as fast as she possibly could. Disappearing and reappearing with every touch against the stone floor. She couldn't remember a time she had forced herself through so many sonido bursts, but neither had she had such motivation either. Juna was still breathing, and it appeared as if her pain was slowly subsiding as she winced less and more mumbled incoherently... albeit sparingly. It was a miracle alone the small girl hadn't blasted herself into thousands of pieces after letting a fully charged cero go wild. The fact her heart was still beating at all was providence unto itself.

Many of the others had greatly questioned Sana's overprotective nature for her fraccion. Some had even come to think it as a weakness an espada had such a relationship with its so-called "servant" arrancar. That wasn't true. During her days as a hollow wandering the desert wastes few others would even approach her, whether out of fear or perhaps some other reason Sana never discovered. The only creature that would ever remain had been little Juna; a hollow that relied almost entirely on the larger, more powerful Sana. Food, protection, or company... the now espada had provided them all, and never once had she complained either. Perhaps she did these things solely to retain her only companion, but it had worked none the less.

It was not some prior obligation or some matter of debt that held Sana to Juna, it was simply a friendship. They enjoyed each other's company, and the espada was not about to turn away from years and years by her friend's side just to let her die. Life was a battle worth fighting for... even for a hollow. That meant no matter the consequence one should try till the bitter end. Sana had learned **that** the hard way after years of fighting for her own life. Her battles had been with the dangers of Hueco Mundo, the deadly storms that raveged the deserts, other hollows, or even the day she had been attacked by a pair of Adjuchas... The very day she had met Ichigo after he'd watched her tear them both limb from limb without a thought. She would fight and fight until there was nothing left to fight for. That was her purpose.

Sana's moment of reminiscence was brought to an abrupt end as she rounded the corner towards the path that led to the inner palace. There was a group of the intruders waiting for her, or so it seemed. It felt as much. They all stood as if waiting, weapons at the ready. The fourth saw their faces were covered by black masks that left only their eyes exposed, darker still their clothing. These were strange uniforms, but the spirit energy was undeniable. Shinigami… ready and waiting. Sana ground to a halt and stared. There were dozens of them, and most already had their swords unsealed.

Before she could turn and move off to another hall Sana watched the way she had come fill with more of the masked shinigami. They had her surrounded. "She has something in her arms... is that a body?"

"Stand back you idiots." One rather tall man with three streaks of blue running through his hair spoke as he stepped closer. His sword was released, taking the resemblance of a large axe with a double-bladed head at both ends. Sana just glared menacingly as he took another step forward... he was testing her patience just by approaching. "State your name, hollow. We have you surrounded, there's no escape." She did not answer, only lowered Juna down until the girl rested against the cold surface of the floor. "My name is Urikou Hantoi, third seated officer of the second division."

"What purpose could I possibly have telling you my name if you're just going to attack anyway? Don't make me wait."

"So you are edging for a fight? Good. It is only honorable to know the name of the enemy you are about to battle." Sana just let a growling laugh escape her throat, one that seemed far deeper than her appearance would have suggested.

"So, you want to fight **me**?" The espada's sudden smile seemed to put a few of the ones surrounding her off guard. "Very well, shinigami; I will oblige your inane traditions… my name is Sana. But, you might know me better by this." Tilting her head to the right the espada showed off the large "4" marked on the left side of her neck. "I am the Fourth Mas Espada." It was apparent, masks or not, that several of the shinigami that ambushed her were suddenly less than gung-ho about fighting now that they knew who she was... what she was.

"I take that as your consent."

"I was more hoping you would all just run away, I am in a hurry. But if you're all so eager to die, fine. I won't argue." A sword shot from the dark interior of Sana's sleeve into her hand and she held it high. "Cleave without mercy, Nuekiba." The zanpakutou obeyed as it changed form, again becoming the long halberd she had used before against Ichigo's inner hollow. "Come then, I don't have all day."

* * *

"Come out, come out, espada! No use running away!" Kayami cooed loudly as she took a long, slow glance around again. The battle had since elevated itself to the roof, offering hundreds of hiding places in the uneven, spiky surface. "I thought you were supposed to be the best of the best in battle? Where's the undefeatable arrancar warrior I wanted to test my skills against?"

Hinimara took slow, pained breaths as she looked at what remained of her right arm. The lieutenant's shikai was ruthless, wielding what looked like rivers of blood and burned like molten lava. Her hand was gone, what little flesh still clung to the bone was nothing more than melted skin and muscle. She still held her sword in her left hand, but that meant she was at a serious disadvantage… she was not left handed.

"Did my Toketsu do more damage than I realized? It is a very voracious thing, hard to control actually. Once it has the smell of fresh blood it simply goes wild." She was getting closer. "You see, it's such a glutton it can't help itself. Keeping the blood it drinks, growing stronger and stronger with every drop. But, once it drinks its fill it cannot hold the meal… but still he drinks more and more till ready to burst. Once I've made a kill with Toketsu, it must be unsealed. In its released form it spews all the blood it's feasted on as a potent acid to eat away my enemies until nothing is left." Hinimara could see her now, those ribbons and rivers of red death circling her lazily. "My zanpakutou is hungry again, espada. It has tasted the sweet flavor of life and it wants more."

Having already made the mistake of blocking the bloody acid with her sword, Hinimara knew that would only splash the foul substance all over her. Frontal assaults, at any speed, would only open her even more to its reach. Her last resort was her special "skill," but she had no way of fighting when in that form, it simply made her intangible. It was a means of escape and of observation, not combat. But, she wasn't an espada because she was an excellent sword fighter. She had another skill, one she knew would put good use of her want for range.

Opening her only hand the fifth focused as a small emerald orb grew to bright existence. There was only a single espada who did not employ a specialized cero, and simply because her own was so utterly destructive she had never needed to invent one. It was the only chance of fighting without getting close enough for the vice-captain's zanpakutou to make a meal out of the rest of her body. So, now was time to show hers. Her Cero Incognito.

"I can sense your spirit pressure, espada. You can't hide for long!" Kayami whirled around as she felt a sudden jump in the energy permeating the air. A very thin emerald beam shot straight up reaching perhaps fifty feet before suddenly turning at a very sharp angle to fly straight at her. "The hell is that?!" She slid out of the way as the beam burned a narrow hole through one of the roof's many protrusions. "Hah you missed!" She spoke too soon as she watched the green laser-like beam angle again and shoot to the side, turn and come right at her.

Hinimara just kept her eyes closed as she steered the cero. She had learned that by condensing the energy of a normal cero down to something so focused she could actually control the path it took. The beam just so happened to carry enough force that when it struck its intended target the resulting energy release could easily turn its victim to dust. A number of foolish shinigami had already learned the power this technique commanded... the hard way. Their dust had joined the rest of Karakura's. No bodies left behind, no eivdence to speak of... thus the cero's name. It left nothing behind.

"Tricks and ploys; you'll burn for this you coward!" Kayami barely avoided the deadly beam as it zigzagged around to chase after her. There was no avoiding. No matter how much she dodged it just turned around and came after her again. It was relentless and she could tell just by the feeling of its passing that if it did strike she would not have the chance of recovery. It would mean instant death. "I will find you! You can't maintain this thing forever!"

"That's where your wrong. And it isn't a 'thing.' It is a cero. My very own." Hinimara finally stepped out from her hiding spot, the stump of her arm still dripping as she stared the shinigami down. Before the shikai floating about Kayami could lash out a second shot blazed out from the espada's hand. This one was a fair deal thicker and traveled in a straight line as a normal cero would as the narrower beam angled in again. Locks of Kayami's platinum hair were seared off as the beam passed inches from her head. "I can control its path for as long as I still have the power. If I can fire a regular cero while still bending Incognito… just how much power do you think I have?"

"Don't stand and sneer at me hollow! I am not finished yet!" Two more whip-like spears of crimson tore through the air towards Hinimara. She burned the air to boiling with yet another cero shot, she was not even charging them anymore. They seemed to simply burst into existence at her whim. But, even with that at her disposal she could not help but hiss as one of Toketsu's spears changed course and avoided the blast, though steaming from the heat of the powerful energy. Before the cero had even dissipated the deadly fluid splashed over Hinimara's leg.

The cry of pain was loud enough to shake the whole roof as the espada collapsed onto her side. Her leg eaten away from above the knee and down. It had only taken a second for nearly the whole thing to just melt off and disappear. She couldn't even maintain the direction of her cero as the beam shot off into the distance to disappear high in the sky.

Before the fifth could move she felt a spike of pain tear through her as Kayami pressed a foot down hard on the remnants of her arm. "I told you I wasn't finished yet. Seems you could only drive 'one' of those fancy green blasts. The rest, not so much." Hinimara just gasped as the vice-captain twisted her foot. She reached with agonized effort to the side and grasped her fallen sword before raising it with a shaking arm. She managed to point it at her enemy, though it seemed the weapon were about to drop any second. "Now you really believe you have anything left to fight me with? You're out of tricks, out of strength, and out of time. I don't suffer distractions lightly, so I think it about time to end this one and move on. I have bigger fish to fry than you, hollow."

"You're wrong." Her voice strong, despite such injuries.

"Wrong? About what? Enlighten me."

"I'm not a hollow. I'm an arrancar… and we can release our swords too!" Hinimara let go of her zanpakutou and the blade simply floated there. "Shriek, Laniandra!" The blade burst into a cloud of vapor with enough force to toss Daibaru straight into one of the obelisks on the roof. She slid down to the ground and felt the hurt on the back of her head, looking at the blood on her hand as she rose. She brought Toketsu back to her and the rivers of blood swarmed about its master. She was most certainly ready for round two.

The espada was nowhere to be seen. Only wisps of vapor sifting through the air, all of it giving off a golden glow. "Hiding again won't save you, hollow!" A sudden flash of golden light brought Kayami's attention to a figure emerging from a vaporous cloud. She did not have the chance to get a proper look as something struck her across the face, searing pain burning through her skin as the vice-captain fought with herself to not cover the slashes with a hand. Four crisp slices over her left cheek, and they burned terribly. "**Not hiding.**" The voice was so thick, so loud it made the lieutenant cover her ears on reflex alone. "**You can't see.**" The hiss-like breathing behind the voice made it sound almost as if Hinimara were whispering, but her words were so thunderous that Kayami was certain her ears were bleeding even by such short utterances.

A second golden burst and the espada revealed herself, this time remaining visible. Her whole body was surrounded by the golden mist from which beautiful rays of light came. The few feathers that had been in her hair now totally consumed her once bluish locks in a brilliant display of red, orange, and green. Her eyes had changed completely, now wholly consumed with blue flames that trailed out the edges like a pair of comet's tails.

But, what truly awed Daibaru were the wings. The espada had three sets of wings; two spread like some great predatory bird's from her back, and a pair grown right along with her arms. The lieutenant saw what had cut her cheek, the feathers along that third pair were barbed, and dangerous looking things they were. "So what is this, hollow? Is this what you really look like? A mass of mist and feathers?" The lieutenant just sneered, despite feeling the rush of spiritual pressure flowing off this newly transformed arrancar. It was leaps and bounds greater than the small woman she had wounded only seconds before. "We will see how well you fair now!"

The rivers of blood splashed down onto Hinimara, ready to coat every inch of her and dissolve her whole body. Only, as the crimson acid reached her they passed right through as like a hand waved through the smoke of an extinguished flame. Daibaru did not get the chance to even utter a word as the espada drew back her wings and beat them forwards. The rush of wind taking the women along with it as she was thrown hard against another of the roof's protrusions. "**The shinigami are too proud.**" Kayami again pressed her hands against her ears, trying desperately to filter that overpowering voice. "**They would send children to deal with monsters.**"

* * *

Kayami couldn't believe herself as she pressed her back up against the obelisk. She had to stay away from this espada. She'd tried and failed a dozen times to touch her, attack her… not even kido worked. The harpy was as elusive as the air itself, her strength undeniable and her voice so powerful it was a weapon unto itself. "**Now who hides, Vice Captain Daibaru?**"

"Don't find me… don't come near…" Kayami whispered desperately to herself. Those barbed feathers had rent her clothes and the voice made her head throb incessantly. She could barely think straight.

"**It is a very rare thing to press me hard enough to release my sword. I hate this form enough that I have done it only once before, long ago.**" The lieutenant pulled a shaking hand from her ear and looked at the spots of blood. She was so far away, yet her voice still cut like a blade. "**Do you know what it's like to be afraid of yourself? To live knowing the utterance of a mere word would kill anything near you? That is my power, shinigami. My voice is my truest weapon, and that is why I speak with such humble respect. Anything meant to kill should be used with reverence.**" The short speech was all it had taken, Kayami could no longer even hold herself upright.

Hinimara just watched as her opponent collapsed onto her side, shivering violently as she held her ears shut. She was a ways off, but distance would not have saved her. "**I am only whispering, Vice-Captain. While you are the only one who can perceive my voice, it still holds the power enough to bring you down.**" She watched Daibaru stumble to her feet. She was light-headed it appeared, unable to maintain proper balance. Tiny streams of blood were dripping from both her ears. "**I would pity you, as I sympathize with most that I have had to defeat. But you… you have done terrible things, and I do not feel the slightest bit of remorse. Now just think, if this is a whisper… what will happen if I scream?**"

A look of confused horror crossed the lieutenant's face as Hinimara drew in a deep breath. Her opponent was too unbalanced to even move as the espada screamed at the top of her lungs. A shockwave rushed across the whole fortress; its power alone blasted the outer layer of stone off the rooftop and everything on it as the wave of sonic destruction passed. Daibaru was unmoved through it all, her own scream of agony drowned out by the siren's blare. Blood was coming from her nose now… a drip even appeared from her eye like a tear. But still the roar blew over her like a tempest, shaking her to her bones.

It finally stopped; as Kayami fell to her knees she let her arms swing limply at her sides. She just stared blankly as she watched the espada approach. "**I was given an order, shinigami. Something I'm sure you can so easily relate to. I was told to give no mercy.**" Kayami's eyes just lazily moved to look up at Hinimara, she was now just a few feet away. "But that's not who I am. I cannot follow such an order." A feeling of equal parts relief and confusion beat through Daibaru's numbed mind. Her enemy's voice was suddenly normal, there was no explosion of pain ripping through the mind… just soft, soothing words. "I made a promise to myself never to kill again, and I'm not about to break that… even for you."

"I… you… can't…" Kayami could barely even speak as she tried to rise from her knees only to collapse again.

"I can… but I won't. All it would take would be for me to draw a few steps closer, kneel down and speak a single word into your ear." Daibaru noticeably pulled back as the espada indeed kneeled. "But a wise man once told me, 'judge not others before looking to thyself. For to place judgment before penance is like putting the innocent before the guilty.' Of course this was before he got so completely drunk that he passed out on my lap... fate does balance the wise."

Standing back up Hinimara just turned and seemed to almost walk away, but stopped after only two steps. Her giant wings were not even connected to her body, she was like a ghost. Some apparition that beamed with golden glory. Almost like an angel... Daibaru could not help but feel she knew this… as unfamiliar as it could be… it was still itching the back of her mind. Why did this arrancar feel as if she should be recognized? "I tell this to you because I have much penance to be had. No matter what deed you have done today, it pales to my crimes like a firefly to the full moon. There was no other purpose behind my becoming this… no… allowing myself to become what you see."

"Why… tell… me…" Kayami's voice was still struggling to be heard over the hoarse rasp of her throat. Her body was still so damaged it even made her breathing sound like a death rattle.

"Because it is something you need to hear, Daibaru Kayami. I have been in the exact place as you once. Ready and willing to impress upon one's superior, even so far as to follow some vague order without thought to the contrary... Mindless obedience." Reaching into her jacket Hinimara pulled something out and tossed it back. Kayami just stared at the wooden badge with confusion. The sigil of the eighth division… a lieutenant's badge. "As I said, I have much to repent for. You see, that used to be mine."


	20. Ashes to Ashes

**Holy crap am I late... but I've also been busy. Well, after four rewrites, two complete deletions, and the strong desire to murder someone until they died I have complete chapter 20... hurray. I'm gonna start answering some questions people have been asking me for like, eight chapters now. People are starting to get ravenous on me.**

**Here's your chapter... don't hurt me please. I know! A fun little game, count how many times I use the word "look" in my whole story... go!**

* * *

"… What…" Daibaru fumbled to grasp the wooden badge, despite her inability to even see straight. She managed to take hold of the insignia, feeling old wood on her fingers as she weakly held it up to get a better look. "This… isn't fake… but how…" For a long time the espada didn't even answer. Her back turned as she stared out at the night sky. "Who… did you kill… for this?" The moment the words left Kayami's mouth she watched the arrancar's wings fall almost to droop on the ground.

"I didn't kill anyone for it… I earned it, just like you did."

"… Who are you?" As she finally found her feet, Daibaru stumbled before finding some balance. Her shikai though remained unmoving in pools all around her.

"I told you who I am already. I don't feel the need to divulge again."

"No… that's not your real name." Daibaru took a step forward, the espada still wasn't watching… as if it mattered. She knew there wasn't any way to even touch this arrancar anyway. "Hinimara… that isn't even a typical arrancar name… you're hiding something."

"Would you not hide something that has shamed you?"

"I have no regrets." Kayami stopped in her tracks as the espada turned around. Her burning eyes drawing trails through the dark before settling on her again. "Everything I've ever done has been in loyalty to my superiors. I do as I'm ordered, and never feel guilt for it."

"And you didn't think to even question those orders. You just obey and move on… do you even have a brain? You just do what you're told like a good little soldier? What do you think is the cause of this entire conflict?" Hinimara's eyes narrowed as she saw a slight smile breaking across Daibaru's face. That could only mean one thing… confidence. This vice-captain knew something.

"It's monsters like you… like the traitor Kurosaki that are the cause of this war. When a force becomes too troublesome for Soul Society to endure anymore… it is purged. Like the Quincy before you, it was only a matter of time before arrancar and all like them were destroyed. This is fate."

"… You know more than you're telling me." The light shining off Hinimara's body instantly darkened as the fires of her eyes intensified. She was growing angry.

"Of course I do… but I've said too much already. How else was I going to stall long enough for the reinforcements to arrive?" A loud crunch brought Hinimara's attention to the tall man as he landed hard on the cracked stone of the roof. Her gaze drawn immediately the white haori draped over one shoulder. "Captain Hisagi! Be careful, she's one of the espada!" The man didn't say a word as his zanpakutou flashed, drawing a bright line through Hinimara's body. The sweep bisected her through the waist, her face was twisted in anger and surprise as both pieces burst into separate clouds of golden mist before vanishing without a trace. Convinced the enemy was gone the captain then turned his glare to his subordinate... he did not look pleased. "Daibaru… what are you doing up here? You were supposed to be with the scout group from second division." The lieutenant just blinked a few times... her captain made that look far too easy.

"I was… sidetracked… separated from the rest of the scouting team. Captain Hinamori ordered us to deal with the espada's second in commands… I was only defending myself after an… incident."

"Defending yourself? I highly doubt that. You thought you could challenge one of the espada yourself? That's suicide, more irresponsible than usual to say the least."

"She was only the fifth most powerful, captain. I thought I could handle things. She just ended up being… well, really loud." Sighing Shuhei replaced his sword in its sheath and stared at the damaged roof.

"The last espada that wore the number five had to be defeated by Captain Zaraki." Daibaru noted her captain began to look this way and that the moment he had finished that sentence. He was even tensing up, as if expecting something. "You should be glad you weren't killed. Now come, the other captains are already within this fortress. We have to finish this mission before we get in over our heads within this desert."

"Captain Hisagi… wait." Daibaru opened her hand and dropped the badge into her commander's grasp. "She said this used to be hers." He just stared down at it, his narrow eyes widened as far as they were able. Either he couldn't believe what he was seeing… or he actually recognized the badge. While they all appeared the same, each badge had a mark or a cut that differentiated it from all the others. They were personalized specifically for the bearer. "Do you have any idea what this means, sir? How can a shinigami become a hollow?"

"… There is a way…" His voice sounded very distant; a far cry from the near chronically-stern man's normal tone. That alone was troubling.

"Then… she was telling the truth? Before you sliced her in half I mean." Closing his fingers around the badge Shuhei just shut his eyes as he thought back many years. It was only the lapse of a moment before the captain set his jaw and turned back towards the roof's edge.

"Many things have changed since those days. Who she may have been doesn't matter anymore. This badge is just another piece of a past best forgotten. Come on, we have to move." Nodding Daibaru recalled her shikai to her hand and sealed it back to normal form. Her hair once again took its crimson shade as she grunted in frustration; her sheath had been cut in half in the fighting… she hadn't even noticed until now. When she looked up she saw her captain standing on the edge, staring down over the vast sands. But, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a needle-thin beam of emerald light shooting straight for him. Her heart leapt into her throat, the words almost moving faster than her mind could send them. "Captain, look out!!"

The Cero Incognito tore a path through the spot Shuhei had been standing mere fractions of a second before. It immediately turned a sharp angle and took chase as the man shot high into the sky. This beam was more maneuverable than Kayami remembered… and not only that but it was moving so much faster. "Don't let it touch you! It's a cero!!" A second narrow beam shot in from a different direction and zigzagged this way and that as it closed the distance to its target. Both cero blasts were moving so erratically it was impossible to predict where it would go next. Every half second or so it would make a series of acutely sharp turns before finally moving in only to angle off yet again. "It's impossible, she was cut in half! I saw her in two pieces! How can anything still be alive after that?!" Kayami was frantic, helplessly watching her captain dodge for all he was worth just trying to stay away from the lethal attacks.

He had always been one of the most talented practitioners of shunpo she knew. Even to her trained eyes he just appeared as a pattern of blurs showing themselves all across the sky. But, as a third beam revealed itself it almost seemed as if the cero blasts could predict his moves before he even made them. Kayami felt her panic intensifying. She knew she had to help… but there wasn't any way she could outmaneuver a single one of these new attacks… much less three. It would be a death sentence to even try.

No, she HAD to try. Her captain was using every ounce of speed he could manage to keep away from a power capable of reducing his body to ash. She could not just stand there and gawk… her duty was to aid even if it meant losing her life. Her mind set, she reached for her sword… but her hand didn't even make it to the hilt. She felt something with claws grip her wrist and nearly tear off her arm as it twisted her around. She was staring directly into those twin blue suns that felt as if they were going to sear right to her soul. "But you're-" she didn't get another word out. Hinimara swept a foot under the lieutenant's legs while using her free hand to punch her straight down into the stone roof with crushing force.

Daibaru impacted so hard spots and stars filled her eyes. She could only watch blankly as the espada took hold of her Toketsu and drew it out. "**Not this time. I've had enough of your annoyances,**" she growled as she tossed the zanpakutou off the roof. At such a close range Hinimara's deadly voice echoed through Kayami's whole body. She could only cringe as she felt her heart skip a beat… and not in the good way. "**You and I are going to have some words, be assured of that.**" Hinimara's face was twisted in anger, the golden glow darker than ever. It was an expression that might have one point made Kayami smile… but there was nothing humorous about any of this. She had so drastically underestimated her opponent it was a wonder she was even still alive.

It happened so quickly Daibaru had to blink to process the sheer speed. A sudden split-second vision of Captain Hisagi appeared over her, and then both he and the espada vanished. She just blinked again… but nothing happened. They were both gone, their presences only confirmed by the lingering spiritual energies… and the wind-burst sounds of flash steps. Two realizations struck her. Captain Hisagi had actually harmed the espada when he had cut her; her two halves actually separated... a deed she had been unable to accomplish. That meant he was capable of harming, or even defeating her. The second came as less than good news… she could no longer move.

* * *

High above an exchange of swings and blows danced through the air. Neither Shuhei nor Hinimara seemed able to make contact with one another. The only good thing was that the guided cero attacks had vanished… likely thanks to the proximity in which they were at. But now her hands burned with the same green glow the blasts had exuded. This colorful espada was very well versed in the usage of the deadly energy if she could wield it like that. Though Shuhei felt the sense of irritation being forced to fight so soon, he couldn't help but feel this was definitely an opponent worth the time. This was a challenge... he liked challenges.

"I did not expect to engage an espada so soon." Shuhei commented as he slashed down with his sword. His target was impressively illusive, her movements were so fluid it was like trying to cut a cloud of vapor. "But for the fifth strongest, you aren't exactly what I predicted either."

"You have been misinformed, to say the least." A hasty flash step was the only thing that saved Shuhei from Hinimara as she appeared behind him. He just looked at her, she was too fast… this was not sonido she was using to move about. She would vanish in a mass of golden mist then reappear somewhere else instantaneously. He dodged her strike and countered, again they both missed and backed away only to drive at one another again. "We do not number ourselves in order of strength. I am not the fifth strongest espada." Lifting her hands Hinimara showed off the wings on her arms as they became rigid. At the same time all her fingers began to grow, sharpening into long claws. The green energy still shining with its fearsome power. "We differentiate ourselves between the Mas Espada and the Renovar. The New Blades… and the Reborn. Trust me, we're a whole new breed of monster."

Another blast of light and vapor gave Shuhei the hint to move… immediately. He barely avoided the espada's razor-sharp claws as she raked them at his back. He swept his sword in return, but as it passed through her arm the blade did nothing more than disperse the haze that made up her body. "You can't cut me, Captain Hisagi, nothing can. It's useless." Swinging one of her wing-blades Hinimara clipped the man on the shoulder, drawing a spray of blood as the edge dug deep. "Why even try? What drives you as much as your subordinate?"

"We strive for peace, to do that… certain sacrifices must be made."

"As long as they're made by someone else. I can see the true 'humility' in that. How far have you all fallen to reach this low? It's disturbing." Reappearing again Hinimara lifted her hand as a cero blast charged and fired in less than a second. Shuhei was quick, he dodged and dove in for another attack. He was staying one step ahead of his opponent… but just barely. Her skill compared to her actions gave him the sneaking suspicion she was handicapping herself. For what reason he had no idea. He just had to keep her talking… and away from Kayami as well as any other arrancar. Maybe then he could finish her without any interruptions.

"What are you?" He asked with a quick exhale as he blocked one of the wing-blade sweeps. His eyes noted she still had two pairs on her back that were doing absolutely nothing. He was feeling more and more ill-at-ease every passing moment. She **was** holding back.

"A ghost. I can feel my memento on you… so that means you know what I used to be. How far we have all fallen indeed. To think... I was once like you."

"I hear regret in your voice. I thought it was arrogance that drove a hollow to greater heights… but guilt always means repentance is sought…"

"Do not condescend me, Captain Hisagi. What I seek does not concern you." Passing straight through Shuhei's arms Hinimara got right into his face. Both pairs of wings on her back spread forwards, encaging him in their embrace. There was no way of escaping this snare if they were all blades like the ones on the arms. Not without carving himself apart. He simply watched silently as her hand reached up to his jacket, claws becoming normal fingers again as she reached for the badge. "Not even you stand a chance… so please do not push me to hurt you. I do not enjoy it, at all. Lord Kurosaki didn't tell me I had to kill any of you."

"Lord Kurosaki? Such formal talk… is he your king now? Not just some overpowered punk?" Reaching up Shuhei grabbed her wrist as she took back her badge. Her arm was solid.

"King? No, he refused that title… doesn't mean I can't acknowledge the ruler of Hueco Mundo by what he deserves." She tried to pull her arm back, but the captain had a firm grip. He kept his fingers locked around her wrist. She scowled... he'd figured out her little trick that quickly.

"But from what I've learned about you… you bow to no one." Giving the badge in her hand a quick second glance Shuhei stared right into the espada's eyes. He was sure now, there was no one else it could possibly be. "Isn't that right… Yadomaru Lisa?" For a moment the fifth did not react, her unblinking gaze firmly set on her opponent. He didn't notice her clench her other hand into fist and squeeze.

"… That…" Her voice was very low, almost a whisper. But as the captain watched, her face twisted to an expression of pure rage, the flames in her eyes erupting outwards as she screamed. "**That isn't my name ANYMORE!!**" As Shuhei flinched from the roar he didn't see four more green orbs forming from each of the wings surrounding him.

As Daibaru stared at them both, helpless to even lift an arm, a massive explosion filled the sky. She suddenly felt ill as a spiritual pressure like none other swarmed through the air. The way to even attempt to explain such a presence was nothing short of complete desolation. All consuming hopelessness; like a crushing emptiness taking all the heavens into it. As the smoke cleared from the sky far above Kayami saw her captain holding his sword out, calling its release command. Her eyes drawn to a bright spot, she saw why he was already calling out his shikai. The fifth espada wasn't just glowing anymore… she was burning. All six wings were alight with a blazing golden flame... and her spiritual pressure was skyrocketing so fast Kayami could already feel it taking hold of her chest even from so far away. "So… the espada shows her true colors. Captain Hisagi… don't go and get yourself killed."

* * *

The scene was the embodiment of gruesomeness. Bodies were strewn everywhere, blood caking almost every surface in sight… even on the ceiling which seemed over a hundred feet away. Placing her hand on the chest of the closest man Isane closed her eyes. It was too late, his ribcage was caved in. He was dead the moment whatever attacked him had struck. She moved to a woman lying face down just a few feet away. Standing over her, Isane just winced; she didn't even need to examine the body to see the spine was in pieces. She was starting to wish she hadn't sent the others in her squad forward… now she was alone and that never boded well.

A cough… muffled but that meant someone was still alive. It took a single step for Isane to be at the source. She kneeled and placed her hand on the man's chest, a green glow appearing almost immediately as she went about applying the healing spell on his wounds. He was badly hurt; she needed to work fast. "Vice… Captain… Kotetsu?"

"Don't speak, your lung was pierced through a puncture wound. I need to heal the internal damage quickly before you bleed to death."

"You… have to get… away. She's… still here!"

"I thought I just told you to be quiet. Speaking will only spend precious energy which you need to heal." Placing her other hand over the man's chest Isane began to spread them apart, the magic growing like a curtain over his whole body. While doing this she gave his face a sharper look, he was familiar; she recognized those three blue bangs. A high ranking officer in second division. He must have been the leader of the scout team… the very ones whose bodies were currently surrounding her on all sides. "I've repaired the bones and lungs, but you are lucky whatever stabbed you didn't hit your heart."

"That doesn't matter, you have to get out of here! She's still watching us!" Isane sighed… there was no stopping this fool. "We tried to use the little one… to keep her away… but she only went berserk! She began killing us… one by one. She wouldn't stop… we couldn't even touch her…" His voice was growing weaker, but the curiosity was peaked. Leaning down Isane tried to make out the rest of what he said. That must have been what he wanted because the man grabbed her collar and pulled her close, ignoring the squeaking noise she made as he did so. "Beware the number four… don't let her learn… your zanpakutou's… name."

That was it, his heart simply stopped. His eyes were open, unable to ever close again on their own. Biting her lower lip, Isane slowly closed the lids for him; making note in passing of a black mark showing from underneath his shirt. She almost let it go, but curiosity again took its hold on her mind and she lifted the fabric. She felt the breath leave her lungs as a cold lump formed in her stomach. She knew why this man had died in the very midst of being healed. Spread over his entire chest was a massive black mark… one that looked like some kind of moth. He hadn't died of trauma… he'd been poisoned. But… by his own captain? The very woman who remained in Soul Society… in a coma?

A rush of movement shot from one line of pillars to another, catching Isane's attention as she saw a swift black figure race right at her. She almost drew her sword, but recognized the mask over the newcomer's mouth. It was one of the scouts. Letting go of her blade's hilt Isane let out a sigh of relief, maybe some answers would be had from someone who was actually still alive. Though… the scout wasn't slowing down at all. Actually, he looked like he was speeding up.

Sliding to a halt the lithe man gave Isane a glance before looking down at the newest addition to the bodies all around. "Too late for him, come on!!" Grabbing her hand the man practically dragged Isane to a set of pillars before pressing his back up against one. "Why aren't you hiding!" He hissed at her, trying to shout and whisper at the same time. Joining him with her back against the pillar Isane just blinked a moment before looking at her "savior." She couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration at the fact even he was shorter than she was. Though, this was no place for pet peeves. "What happened here?"

"Ran into an espada… Hantoi thought we could take her because we had superior numbers…"

"Hantoi… Urikou Hantoi? Second division's third seat?" The young man just kept on, as if he didn't even hear her.

"At first we felt like we were holding our own… but she started doing… I don't know… _something_ to our swords. The moment she learned its name she could screw with it, reseal it… even turn it against us."

"What are you talking about? Who did this?"

"… Then she started making us… see things… bad things. I killed my own squad leader… thought he was an arrancar… everyone was turning into hollows… but they weren't! She made us see things that weren't there!" Just by the sound of his voice Isane could tell shock and panic were coursing through this boy's veins, along with an overabundance of adrenaline. He likely couldn't even hear her thanks to it. "She can use our zanpakutou! We broke a few of the ones she had on her… but she would just learn one of ours and use it! She… she even has Suzumebachi! We tried to get away, regroup… but she kept cutting us off!"

"If we are hiding, stop shouting." At least that made it somewhere inside the young man's head, but he still kept on. His mind didn't have brakes anymore, so the only thing to do was to listen and to keep watch.

"We thought… we thought we could use her fraccion as a shield… maybe ward her off. So many of us were already dead, she just wouldn't stop. Ayumashi tried to fight her off while the rest of us made it away… but all we heard was her screaming. One by one… she picked us off, dragging us into the dark. Then, all we'd hear was screaming…" This story did not sound like it was building to any happy endings. "Now… she's after me… she'll drag me away… and all the others will hear is me scream." Something moved out of the corner of Isane's eyes, but when she looked there was nothing. She felt a very unnerving presence in the air, but she couldn't hone in on the spiritual energy.

"'She' isn't going to get you, help is on the way."

"You can't stop her! She'll make you see things too, we have to get out of here!"

"Wait, what are you doing?!" It was too late. The boy rushed away from the hiding place and blindly ran towards the exit. Isane was about to bolt after him when she saw that same hint of movement out of the corner of her eye; only this time it stayed. She moved only her eyes to look and see just what she expected… it was an arrancar. A woman, chaotic black hair… and a big "4" etched to the side of her neck. "Beware the number four." She repeated what Hantoi had said before he died; an espada strong enough to lay waste to several squads from second division singlehandedly. This was not good.

The espada vanished as the young man was suddenly hurled through the air away from the "salvation" of the hall's exit. He landed hard as the woman reappeared over him, roughly grabbing his throat as she picked him up. "Where is she, shinigami?! What have you done with her?! Tell me!!" For some reason Isane could not get her feet to move. All she could do was look at the arrancar's left hand, and at the golden stinger sticking out from the sleeve. It was Suzumebachi, Captain Soi Fon's zanpakutou. Now the mystery of the woman's missing sword was explained. "I will not ask again, coward… where is JUNA?!"

"Let him go!" The espada just sent a infuriated glare towards this new interloper. Isane was just as surprised finding her sword in hand… and the words having come from her mouth. But, she steeled herself and held strong. She knew this was no enemy she could confront alone, but neither could she sit by and let a defenseless man die for nothing. She could see he'd already thrown his sword away, likely out of fear of losing control of it. There was nothing he could do in his position, but the same was not for her. "He doesn't know where this 'Juna' is, so let him be!" After an agonizing second the boy dropped from the espada's grip and dashed away. Isane now had the arrancar's fullest attention.

"Alright, brave one… you saved the brat. Now what?" Now what indeed, she hadn't planned this far ahead. But as the espada came closer, the only thing Isane could think to do was grip her sword tighter, hoping and praying it wouldn't do anything unexpected. She had the sneaking suspicion this espada had a trick in her sleeve involving zanpakutou; that much was painfully obvious. "So what is your purpose here, new girl? I'm guessing by your clothes you aren't with this rabble."

"I am… I am Kotetsu Isane, Vice-Captain of the Fourth Division."

"Why do you all insist on telling me your names; like I would even care… wait, fourth division? A medic? You're a healer?" Glancing around the woman just smirked as she gave her handiwork a quick inspection. "I didn't leave a lot to heal, unless you have the power to bring back the dead; and I already know you can't do that." The espada sneered as she took a step closer. Isane mimicked the step only in the opposite direction. This was wrong, something in the arrancar's eyes blared that like an alarm. A moment ago she was livid, now she was smiling genteelly… but making no attempt to hide Suzumebachi's stinger either. "I frighten you… someone must have had a big mouth. These fools couldn't wait to fight when they ambushed me… but you back away."

Everything in her screamed for Isane to release her sword, but she didn't dare. It was too big a risk, one not worth taking in such a situation. "Not so brazen to clash swords like these idiots were, are you?"

"I… heal wounds… I don't make them. I'm not a warrior."

"True… but you are a shinigami. I **hate** shinigami." A sword shot out from the espada's sleeve into her right hand. She lifted it and seemed annoyed as she looked at the whole thing. "Figures… Tetsutoku had to be one of my last… This had to have a pink hilt. I hate pink… oh, whatever." Looking this way and that, the espada seemed to have all but totally forgotten Isane was even there. "Where did that little punk go… that way I think." Before the arrancar could vanish in obvious pursuit of the escaping scout, something happened that equally shocked both the espada and the lieutenant.

Isane had swung her sword, trying more to recapture the woman's attention… but instead succeeded in carving a deep gash into the espada's cheek. Reaching up she touched the hurt and looked at the blood on her fingers. "You cut me…" It actually took mental effort to not apologize, Isane forced herself to just grit her teeth while she took another step back. "… Shinigami, you may be worth my attention after all." A puff of air and the espada vanished. Sonido, arrancar's personal flash step… and unfortunately it was often faster than shunpo. Isane hadn't seen where the woman had gone. All she could do was wait.

But after a few moments, nothing happened. The room was quiet, the only sound was Isane's own breathing. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally lowered her sword. The espada was gone. Had she only been trying to scare her, even after laying waste to so many others? Though the adrenaline was tearing through **her** veins now, the lieutenant knew she had other duties to attend to. A close brush with death was just part of the job. "Isane?"

Her heart could have stopped, right then and there. There was no mistaking that voice. "Kiyone?" She turned, but there was no one there. Had she just been hearing things? No, the sound had been clear… it had been her sister's voice. No doubt at all about that.

"Isane… where are you?"

"Kiyone, what are you DOING here?!"

"I'm lost…" There was something very wrong about this… other than the fact that her sibling was in the last place she should be.

"I'm right here… follow my voice!" Footsteps… Isane looked and saw a blonde girl at the edge of one of the hall's dark spots, her back turned. In a moment she was at the girl's side. "Kiyone, what are you doing here?! Kiyone?" The girl turned her head slowly, it was indeed the vice-captain's sister… but something was off… perhaps the spiritual energy or the sound of her voice. Whatever it was, it wasn't right. Isane's eyes grew wide as she saw the other side of the girl's face… and the mask fragment covering her eye. "Kiyone?!"

"I'm sorry Isane… I didn't have a choice." Before Isane could even think to draw her sword again, Kiyone struck.

* * *

**AU: Zanpakutou Files**

**Fourth Mas Espada Sana Suriasona: Tetsutoku - "Golden Shield;" A stolen sword capable of guarding against any attack. It's release command is "Harden."**

**Fifth Mas Espada Hinimara Avarii: Laniandra - "Fire-Cry;" A story once told of a fire spirit whose voice was so powerful it would kill any who heard it. So the spirit became a sword so instead of being heard, she could be used. It's release command is "Shriek."**


	21. Fears Abound in the Dark

**Well this one didn't take me so long. Probably because one of my all-time favorite characters is in it. And not to mention we now get to see the fourth in action, awesomesauce.**

**Merry Christmas everybody!!**

* * *

It was like living one of her less bizarre nightmares. Isane felt helpless as she watched the flash of steel sweep through the air, the gleaming edge of her sister's sword set to carve her in half. It was only quick reflexes and nimble movements that saved her as she dodged away from the weapon. Like enacting some kind of vicious dance is what it felt like as Isane twisted, spun, and ducked from the deadly edge of her sister's zanpakutou. "This isn't real, it can't be!" She shouted as she bent backwards, watching the sword pass only inches from her face. "There is no way you can be Kiyone!" Taking the lull to draw her own blade Isane immediately blocked a series of strikes while countering as best she could… already wishing she'd paid more attention to the art of kendo back at the academy.

Kiyone had never been very skilled in attacking, but her defensive skill was exceptional; more so than even a typical third-seated officer. Isane remembered this fact a little too late as her own sword was almost wrenched from her grip by a simple parry. Though she retained her hold, the window was already exposed. Kiyone kicked out and caught her sister right in the stomach. The blow almost folded Isane in half as she was sent skidding across the floor for a few meters. It took her only a moment to get back on her feet and just in time to block a downward sweep. They were face to face now, both fighting to push the other back.

Despite her predicament, Isane could not help but look down slightly. Something had caught her eye before, but the furious duel had been too fast for her to get a better glimpse. It only took that gap of attention, that lapse of awareness the arrancar took advantage of and struck. The blow against Isane's side sent her flying into one of the nearby pillars. Slumping to the floor she covered the new gash, blood already beginning to seep through her fingers. It was deep… very deep. The pain alone forced an anguished grimace from the lieutenant as she forced herself up again, trying her best to heal as much as possible before she was forced to fend the aggressor off once more. But… maybe she could buy some time... even if only a few seconds. "Who are you?" She gasped… the pain intensified as she stood up straight.

"Don't you recognize me?" That same sweet voice… it wasn't going to work a second time.

"You're not my sister. You think I wouldn't know my own sibling?"

"What, don't believe your own eyes?" The tone had changed, Isane could tell. The voice was wavering.

"Yes, I do… Kiyone is left-handed… and her sword isn't pink." Without even retorting the arrancar struck again, but this time Isane stopped her dead in her tracks. "I may not be the bravest, or the most talented healer, but those who use my own sister's face to trick me don't deserve my good graces… espada."

"Well now, those are fighting words." The imposter grabbed onto the sword holding her back, squeezing until blood began to drip from her palm. "I thought you were against wounding others?"

"Even those sworn to the service of aid must draw their sword in earnest one day."

"That's poetic… but also the reason I can't stand you people. You never stick to your own damn ideals!" Suddenly pulling her blade away the arrancar slammed the pommel into Isane's stomach, instantly knocking the wind right out of her. The vice-captain wasn't even given the chance to recover before Kiyone spun around, her leg swinging to land a powerful kick right into her adversary's sternum. Driving Isane back into the pillar she was held there by the arrancar's foot. She gasped in pain as the imposter slowly twisted her heel into the sensitive bone beneath it. "You say one thing and do another… feign honor while moving about like assassins and murderers. It sickens me to even think I share some of the same powers as you!"

The arrancar let her foot drop, but only long enough for Isane to fall away from the pillar before delivering a punishing roundhouse to the woman's shoulder. The blow was followed by the wet crack of bones breaking as the lieutenant flew straight to the other side of the hall and impacted against the wall. The kick alone had inflicted such force the stone behind Isane crumbled and cracked when she fell away from it. "And in the end, you cannot even stand up for yourself." There was no response. "Or even keep yourself from getting killed. Honestly, what idiots cannot even gauge their own opponents before challenging them? So then, what will you do now, shinigami?"

"Dash, Itegumo!"

"Hmm?" The arrancar's eyes went wide as a spear of ice shot out right at her. She drew a fist back and met the projectile with a solid punch, instantly shattering it. The moment she did the shards of the spike burst, enshrouding the imposter in a cloud of snow-colored mist. "What the hell is… ah… AH!" The moment she took the vapor into her lungs an icy burn filled her whole chest. The arrancar fell to her knees, taking shorter and shorter gasping breaths.

"I am not the one who is so sadistic as to use the image of a sibling to gain the upper hand! My own sister is not some tool of war!" Isane emerged from the dark side of the hall where she had been thrown. Her left arm hung limp at her side, blood dripping from her fingers. But, in her right, her shikai was leaving a trail of icy mist in its wake. "So, I cannot in good conscience allow you further use of such underhanded tactics." The arrancar just hissed as she tried to stand, but was brought down as she tried to take a breath. Rolling onto her back she began to claw at her throat and chest, desperately trying to take a even a hint of air into her unresponsive lungs. "Try as you will, my zanpakutou already has its hold on you. The ice particles you inhaled have already begun to target the water in your cells, freezing every ounce of liquid each carries. It creates icy spears like the one you blocked, but once broken it envelopes my enemy in a frozen cloud. The ice need only touch the skin for the cloud to begin its fatal work. Such a disgraceful weapon for a healer, but one I carry none the less."

Isane approached until she was standing directly over the imposter. Lifting her sword over her head she looked down into Kiyone's face. "Should my sword pierce your skin and touch your blood, it would freeze everything… instantly. This is my shikai's power; running rampant like an infection to turn the whole body to ice. Once under its influence, no one can ever escape." Stabbing the weapon down Isane pierced the imposter and didn't stop until she felt unyielding stone fight back against her. She immediately turned her head away, not daring to watch as even the liquid within the arrancar's eyes froze. She didn't want that image in her mind… she didn't need that nightmare.

Drawing her blade out she backed away as quickly as possible, bile already rising in her throat. Falling to her knees Isane retched as she threw up, shaking violently as she emptied the contents of her stomach. Tears were streaming down her face as she forced herself up. She couldn't get Kiyone's face out of her mind, no matter how hard she tried. Even if it had been a trick, her mind still told her she had just frozen her own sister's heart into a solid mass; never to beat again. Finally catching her breath, Isane felt the strength draining from her. The adrenaline was wearing off, and as she dropped back to her knees she felt the tears coming of their own accord now.

That's when she heard it. Clapping… the sound echoing through the hall as its steady rhythm came at a slow beat. Again and again it filled her ears as Isane looked for the source. She found it… whether or not her eyes were lying again. There was the espada, the woman with the big "4" on her neck. She wore a stoic expression on her face… but still she clapping as well. With a frantic turn of her head Isane stared at the frozen body… it wasn't an arrancar, or even a woman. It was the very man who she thought had escaped only a few minutes before. "But… but…"

"As I said, shinigami. Pushed hard enough, none of you stick to your ideals. Your precious code of ethics mean nothing; and that is why I despise you all so much. You're all nothing more than hypocrites. You preach and you prance, flourishing yourselves to all as if it was worth something. Put in the most desperate of situations though, and you are no different than us. You will kill, it doesn't matter what your vocation is… you will always kill."

"You monster!!" Isane screamed as she was on her feet, her zanpakutou already glowing as it prepared to attack.

"Itegumo… an interesting ice-based ability. Most interesting." An ice spire suddenly formed in front of the espada and shot right at Isane. She tried to use a flash step to get out of the way, but the edge of the spike caught her arm and spun her through the air to collapse in a heap on the ground. "I have to say, it is one of the more elegant zanpakutou I have had the pleasure of witnessing. But, like you… it can be made to believe what isn't real." As she tried to stand up again Isane just watched as Itegumo suddenly resealed to its base form. Before she could speak a word in response she winced as the arm that had taken the most recent blow, the very one that was already broken, began to show signs of forming frost. The shikai's icy power was already infecting the skin of her arm and spreading very fast.

Lifting her left hand, the espada showed off Suzumebachi in all its glory as she continued to approach. Despite the pain wracking her body, Isane felt a spike of panicked fear flow through her veins at the very sight of that terrible weapon. Just knowing what it did was half the reason she feared Captain Soi Fon so much. It made her own weapon look pleasant in comparison. "I assure you of this, shinigami. You may call us monsters, villains… hollows even. But, in every meeting our two sides have ever had… yours ALWAYS struck first. Even a healer such as yourself dealt the blow to begin this battle. In all my life I've never started a duel, but I have always finished those that I was forced to engage in. It is this principle I live by, and one Ichigo enforces with an iron fist."

It took all Isane's strength just to remain standing as the espada reached up with Suzumebachi's stinger. She touched the cold metal of the poisoned weapon to the vice-captain's cheek and looked directly into her eyes. "If it meant anything to you, I would apologize for forcing you to endure what you did… but it would be wasted words. At least I need not use the weapon you seem to fear so much. I still have one left." The final blade shot into her grip from the sleeve of her right arm. The espada held it back as her other hand wrapped around Isane's neck. "Perhaps this too is familiar? Grow, Hozukimaru!"

The zanpakutou extended itself as the whole length was consumed by a white light. Isane just stared at the naginata as it completed its transformation. Ikakku Madarame's weapon… one he had not returned with after the "ambush" at Karakura only a few days before. Did this espada collect every blade she could get her hands on? Isane felt almost ill at the though as she could do nothing but watch as the woman drew the long staff back, aiming the bladed portion of it. This was no doubt the power she had been warned about. "I would close my eyes if I were you."

"No..."

"… Brave girl." Isane expected to watch the blade strike forward, impale her through the heart for the quickest end. She expected the gloating laugh of the fourth espada to be the last sounds to ever enter her ears. She did not expect a massive arm to enter her vision and nearly knock the arrancar's head off. The huge fist smashed into the espada's cheek and Isane was free in an instant. The sheer unbelievable strength of the punch had sent the woman flying with such force that she had made a hole in the far wall. It had all happened too fast to really comprehend… but Isane was simply glad she was alive.

Her legs buckled and she fell forwards… waiting for the cold stone to cushion her. Again, her expectations were ended as the same gigantic arm quickly moved under her and picked her up off the ground. Looking up Isane stared into a mass of orange fur and big, but gentle eyes. "... Captain… Komamura?"

"Are you hurt?" His thick, weighty voice was the most blessed sound poor Isane could have wanted to hear.

"I… I am fine…"

"And a bad liar. I will take you from the battle, this is no place for a healer." There was a sound like a thunderclap as a huge chunk of stone was hurled through the air. Captain Komamura drew his hand back again and met the boulder with his fist, growling to himself as the whole thing exploded. "I see I did not strike the arrancar hard enough. A mistake that I will not make again. Vice-Captain Kotetsu, can you move on your own?"

"It won't matter… she'll still come after me… she did for the others... She did for him." Her eyes drifted back to the frozen corpse.

"Kotetsu… can you move on your own?"

"… I… I can, sir."

"Then go, and be quick." Letting Isane stand on her own, Komamura took hold of his sword but did not draw the giant weapon out. Better to wait and see, a useful tactic in any situation. He watched as the espada emerged from the shadows. She cracked her neck as several lines of blood were visible on the side of her head. The legendary resilience of powerful arrancar had not been understated.

"You know… it's been a long time since someone's hit me that hard. It actually hurt." Saijin just stepped back into a combative stance as he saw the espada's sleeves split apart, turning themselves into streamers leading off the woman's shoulders. Her arms were lined with black cloth, almost like a second skin it looked like. But, attached to her right was a large gauntlet. It covered her whole forearm, and rose halfway past the elbow. It was made of some sort of gleaming black metal… fashioned into the form of a skeleton held to the limb by the ribs... if that is what they were. "Been a long time since I've had a good bout. You're a big boy, this should be fun." Giving Hozukimaru a twirl she held it behind her as she pointed the stinger on her opposite hand at the captain. "I'm sure you consent to a duel since you just tried to cave my skull in. What do you say, fuzzy?"

"You did not even sense my arrival. Who are you to challenge me, arrancar?"

"You know what… fine. I'll bite with your ridiculous customs… annoying as they are." The arrancar jutted a thumb at her chest as she puffed herself up. "My name is Sana Suriasona, the Fourth Mas Espada. And you are one hell of a big man… that is of course if you ARE a man."

"I am Komamura Saijin, Captain of the Seventh Division," he said as he actually let go of his sword's hilt. The move brought a smirk to Sana's expression, he was confident enough to not use it.

"Well, this should be entertaining. My little collection has run short, I need some new swords. Yours will do just fine."

"Then come and take it."

"Goading me? Well, put your blade with your mouth is, fuzzball." Komamura shot a wide-eyed glance to his shoulder as Sana drew her foot back, using him as her own platform to land a powerful strike to the captain's head. He hadn't even seen her move. "Especially if you can't keep up!" It was Sana's turn to be surprised as Saijin vanished, already towering over her as his massive fist smashed into her back. Flying like a missile the fourth blew straight through one of the pillars, catching herself against the far wall, splashing blood against it as she did. "He's stronger than Grimmjow… not good." She hissed to herself before launching back into the fray, spear raised to strike.

She struck, but the attack did not reach the desired target. Sana just stared as the captain gripped the shikai's shaft… and opening her to him yet again. Taking the moment to attack first she delivered a powerful kick into the captain's head, but it didn't even move him enough for his eyes to break their concentration. Sana's expression twisted in pain as Komamura's fist planted itself into her chest. Blood splattered from her mouth as she went flying, slowing herself down only just enough to not break all the way through the receiving pillar.

This was going nowhere, and Sana knew she couldn't beat this man by using hand-to-hand. She was strong… but he was a physical power like none other. Every blow to him felt like hitting Ichigo when he was ready for it; and that hurt. The bones in her feet felt like they were ready to crack, and her spine burned from the punishment already received. She would have to resort to other means of combat. Namely her weapons… all of them. Digging herself out of the pillar Sana shot through the air, blades at the ready. She had almost total confidence that he could block this predictable attack… but she needed him to draw that giant sword at his belt. She needed to learn its name. If it meant going in against a clearly superior opponent again… so be it. If she had to, she would use the very powers that had made her an espada.

Sparks flew as Hozukimaru was blocked by Saijin's zanpakutou. Spinning herself Sana struck her opponent across the cheek with the pole's other end before planting another kick into his chest. Again the blow drove him back, but he remained on his feet. In fact, he didn't even look phased even after she'd hit him as hard as she could. "You don't go down easy, do you big guy?"

"I have fought more powerful enemies than you, Suriasona."

"Oh I'm sure you have. I'm sure your long history is rife with battles, dangers… fears. But me make this perfectly clear… you've never fought the likes of me." The vacant eyes of Sana's skeletal gauntlet began to glow bloody red. "You don't know what it's like to be trapped in a nightmare… unable to awaken because you're already awake." The darkness of the far sides of the hall was beginning to grow, the light fading away as the shadows continued to increase in size to the point they covered the floor in an inky carpet. "I can do so much more than toss my weight around. Fool your eyes, trick your mind... but those won't necessarily work on someone like you. A different method must be used." The darkness now flowed up Sana's legs, covering her within it before she simply melted away into the expanse of murk. "So l_et me ask you, Komamura Saijin… what do you fear most?_"

As he kept an eye for the espada to return, Saijin watched as dozens of figures began to rise up out of the hazy black fog. They were completely covered in thick ooze, and the only features about them were their bright red eyes. None of them made a sound as they lifted swords of their own. Saijin just growled, waiting for this new trick to develop. Were these illusions… or was it something else? These things had some spiritual aura… even though it was extremely weak. "_One bright morning in the middle of the night…_" The cacophony of dulled voices resounded from every oozing thing that now surrounded the captain. "_Two dead boys got up to fight…_" A nonsensical rhyme… Saijin had heard it spoken before… but where? "_They drew their swords and shot each other…_"

They were coming closer, most dragging their swords behind them limply. While his instincts cried for Saijin to strike first, that hint of reason told him to not touch these things. Something wasn't quite right about any of them. He would wait until the last moment if he had to. "_The deaf policeman heard the noise… so he went and shot those two dead boys... but you cannot kill the dead… we cannot die twice._" Dozens of the blackened creatures leapt, charged, and angled themselves in from all directions. Blades dripping the noxious ink as they readied to strike.

With a strong arm Saijin swept his sword out, catching almost half the creatures in its wake. As the halves of over a dozen of the monsters fell away they dissolved back into the darkness… but almost immediately rose again, whole once more. "_We cannot die twice… we cannot die twice… we cannot die twice._" They spoke those same words over and over again. Those familiar words… where had he heard them? While the captain's mind was still focused on combat, that hint of a voice in the back of Saijin's head could not be denied.

Then, that voice became a roar. He remembered now, though many years had passed since…

* * *

"So… this is your decision, Kurosaki?"

"This war has to end before it falls onto humanity as a whole. It's our job to protect humans… it always will be."

"Sacrificing yourself cannot be your last resort. By leaving, you risk never being able to return."

"Well then, I can certainly say I'll miss the council of the giant, eh Saijin?"

"I just don't see the sense in this… at all. You have been a champion of Soul Society for many years. You often leave the Seireitei to see to those outside in the Rukongai and you are beloved by all those you visit. But now you leave all that behind… all for a conflict still contained almost entirely in Hueco Mundo?"

"It's a civil war, Saijin. It's spilled out of the desert five times now. Every one of those turned into a major conflict for us and for them. This has to end. But… you're right, it doesn't make sense either. Sort of like an old children's rhyme back in the human world. 'One bright morning in the middle of the night, two dead boys got up to fight. They drew their swords and shot each other. The deaf policeman heard the noise so he went and killed those two dead boys.' I think that's how it went…"

"That makes NO sense."

"Well at least one thing we can both be sure of. If I was one of those boys, I wouldn't be afraid of anything."

"Why is that?"

"You can't die twice. If you're dead, why would death scare you? At least that much is a deceitfully comforting thought. Just don't let it eat at you once I've gone. Goodbye my friend; maybe we'll see each other again some day."

* * *

Saijin tore one of the black things from his arm before its blade could strike and swept another wave of them away, sending the pieces once again back into the abyss from which they came. He had chuckled at Ichigo's words back then… but they had always troubled him afterwards. From what he knew, you could die twice. You could perish in the human world, and you could pass on a second time from the spirit realms. He had always pondered what second meaning Kurosaki could have had. "You can't die twice." Those words… they had to be the key.

As yet another wave of the monsters dove in, Saijin lowered his sword. He let them grab onto him, scratch at him and try to pierce into his flesh with their blackened blades… weapons that weren't even there. Knowing that you could die twice… and NOT knowing what could possibly come after had always troubled him a great deal. Ever since that day that Ichigo had left it had been an itch in the back of his mind he couldn't shake. One that never made sense because it wasn't supposed to.

This wasn't just an illusion… this was his own uncertainty. A dark, abysmal hole in one's mind that refused to let go. The parting gift of the ex-captain of the fifth division. The curse of not knowing… and the very step to overcoming it. "I shouldn't fear what is already dead. If these things cannot die again, what danger do they pose to me? A clever, but childish game this is." Though the monsters still clawed and grabbed at him, Saijin just ignored them as he marched forward. They weren't real… there was only one thing to worry about now. Whatever was hidden within the darkness, controlling it behind the scenes. He had to find the espada. "I see the puppets, but where is the master?"

He sensed it perhaps a quarter second before it struck, like the sun's rays on the back of the neck... a heat of danger. Komamura shot to the side as a slender arm burst through the black haze, golden stinger shining as it missed its target. There was the sound of a flash step as Sana disappeared again. She reappeared, driving her leg down to strike at the captain's neck, but he again dodged before the blow could be delivered. The fact she put herself too close for comfort was written over Sana's face as she used the spear to vault herself out of range of the much larger man's punches. It wasn't far enough as Saijin charged, his powerful arm already impacting against the espada's center mass. Her eyes went wide as blood poured from her mouth, the sound of cracking ribs audible even to the assailant. "Is that your power, arrancar? You can call upon meager illusions to make the uncertainties and fears come alive for your opponent?"

The arrancar twirled about, striking away Saijin's hand and slashing at him with her staff. The spear's blade dug a deep gash through the captain's shoulder, but he did not relent. She was wounded now, he had a chance to end things before they could escalate even further. Even as she slashed at him again, opening a bloody cut in his arm he finally knocked the weapon out of the way. Though it remained in her hands, it was no longer in a position to use without an awkward swing… and that bought Komamura more than enough time to get close. Very close.

Wrapping his big hand around Sana's neck Komamura just held her aloft as he looked right into her eyes. "Did you think you were fighting someone brought down so easily by such trifles? You are more foolish than your predecessors to trust so earnestly in such devices."

"And you're stupid to trust your eyes, big boy." The voice had not come from the woman in his hand. As the darkness surrounding him faded away Saijin just looked with apprehension as it all converged into a single figure. The inky black took form as Sana cracked her neck again, using Suzumebachi's stinger to push some stray bangs out of the way. "Too trusting of your eyes." How could she be there when she was already in his grip? Slowly gazing back to his hand, Komamura stared right into Isane's bloodied face. Hozukimaru fell from her grip and clattered to the ground. It only just occurred to him, for the few short moments this girl had been attacking him he hadn't thought to look at her off-hand… or the fact it had not born the golden stinger. Sana had switched places at some point… but when? The more disturbing question was why had Isane even attacked him?

Her eyes opened suddenly as she grabbed the hilt at her side, drawing out Itegumo and raised it high. Saijin let go and backed off before the blade could strike. The lieutenant dropped to the ground, but didn't stumble. She stood straight again, her movements stiff and rigid. Almost as if she was moving on mending bones… and they were mending very fast. "Did you think all I did was cast simple tricks, controlled pathetic hallucinations?" Sana's sickly sweet voice was filling the hall, echoing much louder than her tone would have suggested. As if like Kotetsu's shadow the espada seemed to just appear from behind her, wrapping her arms around the girl's shoulders as she gave the captain a sly grin. "I do so much more than that. I don't use illusions… I don't even trick the senses like you think I do. I make your mind believe what isn't real, I make your eyes see what isn't there. Comparing what I do to paltry gimmicks is an offense. What I do is art."

"… You control the mind itself."

"Such a crude and simplistic explanation. What do you think, Isane? How would you put it?" The girl seemed to think a moment before showing the same grin as Sana.

"The power to turn the mind and soul against one another. To make conflict where there should be none."

"Now hear that, big guy? That's poetry if I ever heard it. But, as you have seen… my power has limits if I don't have that final bridge. The pathway to the soul itself."

"The zanpakutou." Saijin's hand was already unconsciously gripped the hilt of his more and more tightly. "You use the zanpakutou spirit to control both weapon and user. That's why you can wield that which does not belong to you."

"And how many secrets they carry about their masters… it's almost embarrassing the tricks they teach. Would you like to see one?" Placing her toe beneath Hozukimaru Sana flipped it up and grabbed it with a flourish as she moved away from Isane. "It took a lot of practice to figure this out, so I hope you appreciate what I'm doing here." Gripping the naginata's pole with both hands Sana's spiritual energy began to swirl about the whole room, visibly surrounding her in an orange aura of power. The spear was already glowing as a spiraling wind grew from the center towards both ends. A shining light beamed from Sana's eyes as she grinned wide, the spiritual release reaching its pinnacle.

Then, she spoke the one word Saijin would never have thought to hear from an arrancar. For all his battles with their kind till now, the one thing he had never even considered possible.

"Bankai!!!"


	22. Escalation

**I pretty much said "screw it" and took three whole chapters and about four different fights and condensed it down into a single amalgam of literature. My editing reads have brought me to one undeniable fact. I must subconsciously hate Hinamori or something because I write her out to be EVIL!**

**Evil Momo!! Oh well. I hope this extra long chapter will sate some questioning minds since I can't upload too often... but fear not! I leave for home in one month! Until then though, I'm sticking to my two chapters a month deal.**

**I'll try not to keep you all waiting for too much longer. I wanna get to my good stuff!**

* * *

The static-filled boom of a sonido charge echoed as the rush of flash steps filled the room. The spacious area buzzing with activity as the blurred flashes of the combatants shot to and fro within the confines of their battlefield. Four figures moving at such incredible speed that their clashes and disengages were only signified by a momentary appearance, a meeting of blades only to vanish once more. The combatants matched steel for steel, and speed for speed. It was a dizzying contest of who would falter. Who would remain steady while the other made a mistake, or tired… or simply placed a foot two inches in the wrong direction.

Momo slashed out, the edge of her shikai grinding against Toshirou's sword. They both dashed away, charging in to engage once more. It was a test of mettle, whoever backed down would lose. And to lose meant more than a slap on the wrist in this game. The contest was moving at too high a speed for a single kido spell to even be feasible. Momo knew her only hope was relying on the skills she had been training in for so long. Her one chance was to beat Toshirou by the methods he had excelled in for all his captaincy. The art and skill of swordplay coupled with sheer indomitable force of will. Both of which she knew he had had in abundance twenty-five years ago, not even considering the then and there. Even impaled, this man was nearly overwhelming her with simple strikes.

Renji was faring no better. While he had forced his opponent to finally draw his sword the espada was obviously stronger. The man's wiry frame hid a physical dominance that was pushing the eleventh division captain to the edge. The precipice of defeat from which he shined brightest. At full power Renji was a force that almost rivaled his ex-captain… but he had to ease into it. He had to slowly release his strength in steps, otherwise the overflow could be dangerous. Just as it had been with his predecessor who used technology to do what Renji did through sheer self-control.

Momo's attention had lapsed for a quarter of a second, and she almost lost her sword because of it. She countered immediately, but already Toshirou had backed away and readied for the next strike. No matter how much spiritual energy Hinamori fed into Tobiume to strengthen it, every blow the man gave shook the zanpakutou like a tuning fork. Every attack made the weapon feel as though it were ready to shatter… and Momo didn't have the time to use her spell of reassembly. Though, it wasn't surprising either. This was Hyorinmaru she was beating at. Compared to it, most other zanpakutou paled even in the attempt to measure up to its strength. The most unnerving fact was that he still had its other two forms well in reserve.

The frantic desire to resort to kido spells was growing… but neither was it viable. Toshirou was no beginner in the arts and he would see a spell coming from a mile away. Even though the wound on his stomach bled he pushed forward as if it were nothing but a scratch. To continue on despite such an injury did not bode well in any situation… and in this one, kido was useless if he could battle on regardless of pain. Momo struck again, and was again blocked and pushed away. Down now to brute physical force… she was running out of ideas. And her bankai was useless here, it would open far too large a window.

A fleeting moment of respite… and as surprising a scene to cause it. Renji lashed out with Zabimaru as he crushed Ulquiorra down into the floor below. The sound drew Toshirou's attention for that passing second, and it was enough for Momo to put her hand right in his face. "Blue Fire Crash Down!" She didn't even speak the number as the now unstable kido spell exploded right in the man's face. Toshirou, bathed in blue flames, was sent hurtling towards the ground. Drawing back her shikai, Momo swung it left and right as fireball after fireball went streaming down to the fallen former captain.

The sight of it made Renji stare. This was a side of Momo he had only seen perhaps once or twice. She was practically insatiable when in such a frenzy. "She's taking it too far… this isn't what was supposed to happen." Looking down Abarai just let out a long breath… which caught in his throat when his eyes fell on the hole where he'd pounded the espada into a crater in the floor. There was nothing left of him… just shattered chunks of ice. "An… ice clone? Oh God… Momo, stop!!" She complied with a huff of exertion, lowering his sword as the smoke from her assault drifted away.

There was nothing left but the glittering shards of icy crystals. It too had been nothing more than a copy, a diversion. "A fake! Where are you, Toshirou?! Come out and face me! I know you are no coward!" There was no answer, and the dark expression across Momo's face deepened as she raised her sword. "Reveal! Break the holds of demon's might, bring the hidden into the light!" Tobiume's tip flashed a dark purple as a wave of energy spread out. The outline of a man leaning against the far wall brought both captain's gaze as the invisibility spell faded away. Toshirou's real body appeared… and for a single moment Momo let her sword drop to point downwards as she stared.

He held a hand against his stomach as blood seeped through, pooling around his feet. He pressed his back against the wall in the failing attempt to stay upright. His skin was pale, it was obvious he had made no attempt to stem the flow with anything but his own hand… a futile measure. With a swift step Momo was before him, blade held at his neck as she glared right into his eyes. "You've improved… Momo. I'm proud of you."

"Shut up!"

"Hinamori Momo, the captain… I was always looking forward to seeing you stand strong in that position…"

"I had nothing to prove to you! I broke all our ties when you died twenty-five years ago! Now, I finish what I started!"

"Then why hesitate? I'm right here… I didn't heal myself, my spirit energy is waning with every moment… do what you came to do. I saved your life, healed your wounds, protected you from being erased from all existence and even kept you safe from the arrancar that wanted you dead. But, if your mind is made, so be it. Do what you came to do!"

"Momo, don't do it!!" Renji's cry fell on deaf ears as Tobiume was raised high. With a shout Hinamori swung as hard as she could. Toshirou just closed his eyes as the blade's edge approached his neck. He was accepting his fate… something Momo couldn't even fathom a reason for. The sound of a static rush passed by as the strike dug into the bloodied stone. A blur had passed under the sword, grabbed Toshirou and now ground to a halt in the center of the room.

The newcomer lowered Toshirou down onto the floor before standing back up. It was a woman… a very tall woman. Her back was turned to the two captains as she gripped her hands into fists. The angry aura about her was visible along the borders of her body as spirit energy bled into the air. "What sort of person attacks a defenseless man? A captain should never take such dishonorable methods!"

Renji's eyes grew wide as he immediately recognized the voice. The white clothing could not hide that from him as the woman whirled around and stared them both down. "… Lieutenant Shinataya?! You're alive!" Taska turned her head, showing off a pair of white shocks running down her long hair. Renji had never seen them before.

"Captain Abarai… I once thought better of you. Resorting now to such measures... I can barely believe what I am seeing."

"What are you doing here?!"

"I am where a vice captain is meant to be, and doing my duty… protecting those unable or unwilling to defend themselves."

"If you are here… then… is Rukia?" Renji's question was left to the wind as Taska drew out her sword and held it in front of her.

"Still you're after her?! Even after you've put her through, you cross whole worlds to hunt her down! I can't believe I thought you an honorable man, Captan Abarai. I will not let you take the life of the man that saved mine. Nor will I allow you to make a second attempt on my captain's! I refuse!"

"You say that like you have a chance. Get out of my way." Momo growled as she flung a fireball right at Taska. The lieutenant didn't move as the huge blast of flames engulfed her.

"Hinamori, what are you doing?!"

"What you're too weak to. She drew her sword against us, that makes her an enemy." Striding towards the cloud of smoke, Momo vanished within it and there was silence. But, it didn't last long as she came flying back out, her feet sliding against the stone floor as she tried to stop herself.

"I said no!!" Taska screamed as she exploded from the cloud, a greenish glow radiating from her right hand. Renji's mouth slowly opened as he looked at the whole limb. The fireball had sheared away her sleeve, exposing the bone-white arm beneath. It was segmented like armor, and it was giving off a completely different presence than the rest of her body. It was a hollow's spiritual pressure, thick enough to choke the air like a foul odor. He couldn't even believe what he was seeing as Taska smashed her glowing fist against Momo's sword and sent the captain spinning through the air to slam against the wall.

He didn't have a moment to waste before she turned that monstrous strength on him, so he struck first. Zabimaru shot out, the forward edge impacting against Taska's own zanpakutou with enough force to not only rip it from her hands but send her rolling across the floor. "Momo, you alright?!"

"Fine," she muttered as she gave her sword a spin for good measure. Her shoulder was bleeding, but despite that she had no other injuries. Staring down at where the lieutenant laid, she spoke as if the words left a bad taste in her mouth. "You were a fool to charge right in, Shinataya. Someone of your level trying to challenge a pair of captains, both with several decades of service behind them… it is simply idiotic." Renji couldn't help but remember when he himself had challenged his own captain… the results would likely be no different here than there. He couldn't help but feel sorry as he watched Taska grab her sword and stand tall. Even at full strength she didn't have the power to challenge even one of them. But still she tried.

"I can't let any of you do what you came to do! Not while I remain by Captain Kuchiki's side!"

"You're resisting out of a sense of duty?! Have you completely lost your mind?! A vice-captain's rightful place is with the Seireitei and all of Soul Society! Not with these… these traitors!"

"I am truly sorry, Captain Hinamori… but it is far more than duty that guides me now… it is self-preservation." Lifting up her right arm, Taska showed it off so they could better see. "No shinigami that has the right arm of a hollow would be allowed to live. I can no longer hide it, that much is obvious to me now. So, I will resist until my very last breath… as Captain Kuchiki has done herself!" Turning her zanpakutou sideways, Taska gripped the blade and held it in front of her as she uttered the command. "Enforce thy iron whim, Miru no Yondaigenso!" The whole sword glowed brightly as it changed form and extended, coiling itself around its masters arms as a pair of spiked weights fell to the floor. The glow faded away as the shikai's chains wound all the way up to Taska's shoulders, its tails left to hang freely from her grip. "I know neither of you have seen my shikai before, though I have seen yours. At least that much gives me some advantage."

Not waiting for a reply, Taska launched herself at the captains. One of the spiked maces flew like a cannonball right at Renji, and he blocked it only to find himself forced backwards without the projectile even slowing down. "Hell, she's stronger than I thought!"

"Flare out!" The moment the words left Taska's mouth the other mace erupted into a violent spiral of flame. Drawing back the first ball, she kicked the burning one right at Momo before swinging her left-hand weapon and slamming it right into the ground, propelling herself up as if like a rocket. Hinamori dodged the meteor-like attack as she was about to follow after Taska, the lieutenant nearly reaching the ceiling at this point. But the moment the burning mace hit the ground behind the captain a huge explosion of flames nearly took her with it. She dashed out of the path of the searing flames, having to turn her face away for the heat. "It's a fire-type zanpakutou!"

"Don't let those things touch you!" Taska was already drawing back her maces to prepare for a second attack. Her offensive capabilities were impressive to say the least. Even if she were a vice-captain, the strike she'd landed on Zabimaru had been enough to crack the blade.

"Destruction arts number thirty-three! Blue Fire Crash Down!" Momo hurled the ball of flames as she launched one of Tobiume's own right behind it. The two mixed together and blazed a path right at its target. But, Taska had other plans then to turn over and die from a single attack.

"Riptide!" Swinging both her arms together Taska smashed her two maces together, the impact releasing a pressurized stream of water right at the incoming fireball. The two struck and with a deafening hiss cancelled one another out as the room was filled with a rush of steam.

"A water technique?!" Renji and Momo both exclaimed as the rush of fog overtook them. Momo cried out as a mace smashed into her sword, breaking off one of Tobiume's pronged extensions and throwing her to the side. Renji barely had time to dodge the other as the weight suddenly changed direction midflight. It wrapped around him and pulled tight, holding his arms firmly to his chest as he fought to free himself.

It took only a moment for him to unwind from the chains, lashing out with his own shikai just in time to ward off the other mace. "No wonder Rukia liked this girl… she's damn good." He just watched as the maces retracted back to their master. He noted that subtle point. Like his own weapon, if extended too far the chains had to be retracted. A weakness… perhaps. He would have to take advantage of the next time she threw one of the spiked orbs.

Renji took notice as Momo streamed a massive amount of spirit energy into her zanpakutou as a fireball formed itself in the blade, one far larger than normal. With a single swing she let loose eight of the shots at once, all aimed right for Taska as the vice-captain let her maces hang loose again. Drawing them up she began to swing them in circles until they were only hazed blurs, buzzing like an angry nest of hornets. "Razor gusts!" Again she swung her arms forward and slammed the weights together. This time though, a tornado of wind and steam tore through the air and overtook the succession of fiery missiles. Like blowing out a candle the flames were extinguished as the whirlwind ripped past both captains. They both grimaced as if invisible blades were cutting at their bodies from the sharp winds.

The twin maces flew again, each aimed dead center for a final hit. But this time, the captains were ready. While they didn't understand the tricks this weapon had, they did know it had a weakness. Like a crocodile's mouth opening and closing, every time she had retracted the maces it had been much slower than after she'd thrown them. There was considerable more force on strike than on retreat. Both captains vanished at the exact same time as the weights struck the floor beneath them. They reappeared just in time to grab a hold of the chains and pull… hard.

Taska was yanked right out of the air as Renji let Zabimaru fly one last time. The lieutenant was off-balance and off-guard, a perfect target. Her arms pulled apart by her own weapon, Taska took the full force of the blow in her chest. Both the chains connecting her arms to the maces shattered as she was taken along with the captain's shikai to slam into the ceiling high above. Drawing his blade back, Renji waited a moment before the lieutenant finally hit the ground in front of him and laid still. "What a brute… and a zanpakutou with mastery over several elements, no wonder Rukia was so interested."

"Is she dead?"

"No, I didn't hit hard enough for that. She's unconscious."

"And we risk her waking back up. A few more moments of that and I'd have resorted to more effective means of dealing with the issue."

"There was no reason to use lethal force, so stop being so dramatic," Renji scolded tersely as he leaned down to examine his latest victim. He'd always like Taska. She was polite to a fault, unflinchingly loyal to her captain, and above all a shining example of how an officer should be. Even when pitted against a pair of shinigami so much higher in rank and power she stood strong and without fear… and was still respectful through it all. "You shouldn't have been dragged into this, Shinataya… you didn't deserve it." Looking up he scanned the area for his comrade. Renji saw her standing over Toshirou, but unlike before her weapon was lowered.

"You snow-haired fool. Why did you do it?" He didn't respond though his eyes showed the same spark of light they always held. "You were the one who told me to never trust those who go against what they believe in. To always stand up for what is right. Have you gone against your own word?"

"I would never do that."

"Then why have you taken up arms against us!"

"Because it is you that has gone against what you believe. To hunt down our fellow, to destroy those we swore to protect, and to heartlessly cut down any that stand in your way… that is not the Soul Society I once served. Better to be its enemy than to blindly serve. I have made my decision."

"So be it then. If you have deigned yourself to believing lies, then my Toshirou truly is dead." Reaching down, Momo took hold of the book still clutched in his hand. "If that is your final word, I will honor it. You will die, and your name will remain untarnished as a man who would give his life for what he believed in… even if that belief was corrupted."

"It is better to die on the sword of a friend than that of a stranger. Do it." Momo's sword was already beginning to rise. Toshirou didn't even flinch, he just stared straight up without a hint of fear. Renji let his shoulders droop as he knew there was nothing now to come between that blade and the end of a life. Taska was beaten, Toshirou was resigned to his fate... only a murmur in the ambient spiritual aura, and there was nothing a minor jump in pressure could do but distract for half a second. He even thought for a moment he heard a voice… then his ears focused on it as the sound continued. "… in here, but it's locked."

"Then knock it down." The doors to the large room were thrown open with such force that one broke away and was sent careening through the air to imbed itself in the wall. "Taska!" Renji's heartbeat jumped, it was Rukia's voice. But the sound was immediately drowned out as the stone wall beside the door exploded as if hit by a battering ram. Shards of sharp rock and bits of gravel pelted the occupants of the room as a man emerged from the hole he'd just made. Grimmjow just sneered as he inspected exactly who he was about to rough up. He looked even more excited as he recognized both the captains as opponents he'd faced only days before. "Well now… what do we have here? Uninvited guests? We don't like intruders around here you know." There was no reply. Even Rukia was staring at the man... or more accurately... behind him.

They all stared with puzzled expressions at the espada… and the hole he'd just made three feet from the door. The one that had just a moment before been kicked open with extreme prejudice. Grimmjow knew exactly why they were staring, and he rolled his eyes. No one ever appreciated his entrances. "I didn't come all this way to be gawked at... and oh look at this, it's monkey-boy and he's back for more. You ready for round two, punk?"

"Rukia, you're alright!" Renji completely ignored the arrancar as he looked at the former captain with an expression of what was obviously relief.

"Don't brush me off! Hey, new girl… get your precious subordinate and scram, I have business with our guests," Grimmjow said with a sneer as he cracked his knuckles. For a single moment Rukia vanished, reappearing with both Taska and Toshirou draped over both shoulders. Neither captain had even seen her pass them by.

"Rukia, wait! Can't we at least talk about this?" Renji mentally checked himself… that had sounded idiotic.

"I have nothing to say to you, Abarai. I've washed my hands of you." She disappeared again as the captains immediately tried to pursue.

"This door's down for repairs, no admittance!" Grimmjow cackled as he kicked Renji in the chest. Whirling around he dove right at Momo as the woman tried to chase after Rukia as well. He would have landed a solid punch right to the back of her head if Zabimaru had not smashed him into the floor a few feet short.

"Momo, go! I'll hold him! Hurry!" She did not argue, rushing outside and down the hall as Renji jumped on top of Grimmjow and threw him as hard as he could against the closest wall. "How about that round two, espada! Come on!"

"Now you're speaking my language, monkey-boy! This time, you use eighty percent on me and I'll use your bones as toothpicks!" Grabbing the hilt of his sword, Grimmjow pulled it out and jumped up and down a good two or three times, looking as if he was either loosening up his shoulders… or dancing. "Besides, you're lucky it's just me. That captain I just let go… she's in for a world of all kinds of hurt. But, let's try and stay focused!" Jumping back Grimmjow pushed hard as he threw himself like a missile headfirst, sword held forward like the tip of a javelin.

The impact of the two zanpakutou alone practically shook the whole fortress as Renji and Grimmjow clashed blades once again.

* * *

"You had to run off on your own!" Rukia growled at the tall woman she was carrying as she banked off another pillar. Hinamori was in close pursuit, not gaining but definitely not falling back either. "I hate coming to look for you, especially when you get yourself hurt! You're twice my size and carrying you isn't easy!"

"I'm… sorry."

"Well there's no point in apologizing now. Once again I'm having to drag you away from some suicidal attempt at bravado. I learn you're alive and a few hours later you run off to try and get yourself killed."

"I shouldn't have tried so hard. Now I can't even… move my legs."

"You're lucky neither of them released their bankai! They would have killed you! I could have done nothing but watched, and you know that!" Taska just hung her head. It was embarrassing enough that her captain had to rescue her… again; but now more than ever because she was incapable of even moving without help. She deserved the scolding and she knew it.

A sudden rise of energy in the air drew Taska's attention. Her self pity could wait as she sensed something. Looking back up, her eyes widened as she saw a surge of blue energy closing fast.

"Kido spell!"

"What?" Rukia just turned her head to look as the light of the blue energy radiated off her face. The reflection in her eyes turned to blinding indigo as the destruction spell overtook and engulfed all three of them. Sent spinning to the side, Taska attempted to land on her feet, but only succeeded in falling flat on her stomach. Rukia and Toshirou took the brunt of the attack, landing farther down the hallway and lying still as smoke rose from them both. "… Captain Kuchiki… no."

Momo appeared above them both, the sound of her flash step echoing through the massive hall. "Captain Kuchiki… get up… don't let this happen… get up!" Still no movement. It couldn't be this way. Taska knew if anything happened now it would be all her fault. There was no living with that. She watched as Rukia turned herself over and said something. She didn't hear, but she did see Captain Hinamori react with anger. Her hand was glowing with red flames as another kido spell burst to life in it. At that close range it would take a miracle to survive, even for a captain…

Taska looked down at her right arm. Fingers like talons, spikes and plates of bony armor instead of flesh and muscle. It was an ugly thing, but she knew one inexorable fact. It had the power of miracles in such a time as this. Pressing her fingers together she flattened her hand as she aimed it right at Captain Hinamori. A turquoise orb of shining light grew quickly as she charged the attack with as much spirit energy as possible. She had one chance to protect her captain… her friend. She would not miss, it wasn't even an option. With one final push, she let the energy fly free… like pulling a trigger with only her mind. The moment the attack was released, she shouted the word that seemed compelled to come out. "Cero!!"

The thick beam of blue-green death blazed a path straight at its target. Momo just turned her head and watched with wide eyes as the blast struck her. Like a wave against the breakers the powerful energy washed over the captain before rising up and splashing out. With a simple swing of her arm, Hinamori banished the attack and glared angrily at the source. Taska was already pushing herself up as she covered her face with her hand. "I'm sorry, but I can't let it end like this! Not now, not ever!"

Swiping her hand down, Taska's face was hidden behind a burst of black smoke. In a moment she emerged from it, her entire head encased in a fully formed hollow mask. "I won't let any of you hurt her again!!" The booming sound of a sonido filled the air as Taska swiped her clawed right hand at Hinamori from above. The captain blocked the attack, but her feet cracked the stone beneath them as she fought against the insane strength of the strike. She stared up at Taska's spiked, ridged mask with a look of utter contempt.

"So, you chose corruption just to save yourself." Throwing the lieutenant off, Momo gave Tobiume a swing as she fed more spirit energy into the blade. "I had heard Kurosaki killed you… but this is so much worse. I see he only took your arm and your sanity!"

"Took my arm?" Looking down at the skeletal limb, Taska just shook her head slightly. "He didn't take it, he exposed it. **This** is my real right arm, the one I used to hide within a gigai piece... the same piece he tore off. I've had this a long, long time. Thanks to Captain Kuchiki, I was able to keep it hidden… but I can see the days of keeping secrets are long past. I will not allow you to harm my captain, even if it means I must use everything in my power to stop you."

"And what makes you think that everything in your power will be enough?! You don't stand a chance against me!" The afterimage of Hinamori faded as Taska tried to backpedal away. Tobiume's blade cut a deep gash through her shoulder, but her claws were already rising to rake at the captain's face, but in futility. Hinamori was too fast. "Strength was always your advantage, Shinataya! But you're slow! You couldn't even keep up with seated officers below your own rank!" Another deep cut was drawn across her back, throwing Taska to the side. It took all her skill and focus just to land on her feet as she left a trail of red drops and streaks in her wake.

Momo came in again, sword practically glowing from the amount of spirit energy fed into it. She couldn't let the lieutenant land any physical attacks, that much was perfectly clear. Hinamori knew Taska could fold her in half if she were given the chance. Speed was the key to victory. Another surge of bluish light was beginning to grow in the hollow hand's grip, but it was too late. Hinamori passed her enemy by and swung at the same time. Stopping several feet behind, the captain lowered her sword as a single drop of blood fell from it. The moment it splashed on the ground two huge slashes exploded from Taska's back and shoulder. She stayed upright for a moment longer before falling forward, the impact shattering her hollow mask into pieces. "I was merciful this time. If I had used all my strength, you would be nothing more than ash. Be thankful for what few moments you have left."

"Taska!" Rukia's cry broke the second-long silence as she dashed to the fallen's side, obviously limping as she ran. "You idiot! I told you… why do you always have to be so brave?!"

"Binding arts number sixty-one! Six Rods of Prison Light!" Rukia was not even given a chance to defend herself as the binding spell trapped her in its hold. Her muscles locked up as all the spirit energy she could call upon was sealed away within her. It wouldn't hold forever… but even a minute was all the time in the world at that point. "I'm frankly disappointed that so many of our once trusted leaders would so easily fall away to this taint. Kuchiki Rukia, Hitsugaya Toshirou… names that will fall in line next to Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tosen. It sickens me to think I once looked up to any of you."

Rukia flinched as Hinamori's blade drove straight down through Toshirou's back. "It is my duty to make sure no individual ever brings Soul Society to the brink of destruction like Aizen did."

"You've just traded one blind eye for another! You're so obsessed with those you deem as traitors you've hidden your own instincts from yourself! Are you that naïve?!"

"I do not need to be lectured by you! I gave my word I would finish this here and now. The traitors will be silenced and the barrier around Hueco Mundo will be closed forever." A firm tug on the hilt of her sword told Momo one thing, she could not retrieve her sword. She looked down at the body… and could only gasp as Toshirou had turned to a solid block of ice. There was no time to cry out, or even blink as the frozen figure exploded like a bomb. Razor sharp chunks of ice ripped clothing and flesh as Momo was hurled backwards to land in a graceless lump almost ten meters back.

There was only one sound filling the hall now. Laughter. Shrill, piercing laughter that echoed from every corner and pillar of the expansive structure. "That's four times now he's gotten somebody to fall for that! You're all so predictable!!" The static of a sonido jump buzzed as a young girl appeared between Hinamori and Rukia. "Sorry, I just had to watch for a minute. Toshirou has really gone all out on the magician's act this time." Leaping to her feet, Momo's face was twisted in fury as she drew back her sword and swung hard.

A series of fireballs were fired all at once and streaked right at the newcomer. She didn't even flinch as they struck, exploding on impact and consuming her within a blazing inferno. "I'm sick and tired of the interruptions! Every step forward is three steps back!" Hinamori cried out lividly. It was clear the captain was on the brink of sheer rage at this point. Though, there was still the matter of the two traitors to deal with. She had to move quickly, this arrancar's lack of a spiritual presence was making the entire situation feel far more uneasy than before.

But, Momo didn't act in time as the smoke and flames surrounding the girl exploded outwards with a release of spiritual pressure that felt like a hurricane had just formed within the hallway. A look of annoyance was twisting the arrancar's face as she cracked her neck. "… Ow," she muttered, brushing some of the soot from the flames off her arm.

"Noel?"

"Didn't we tell you not to run off, Rukia? Until you recover you'll be too weak to do anything. I had to come running after you, and I really hate playing chase." Noel's eyes flashed bright red as the kido spell restraining Rukia melted away. "Take your unconscious friend and go. It was time I joined in this little battle too."

"Who the hell are you?!"

"Oh… she's an angry one, isn't she?" Grabbing the hilt of her impressively long sword, Noel pulled it out and let the serrated blade rest on her shoulder. "And so rude to demand another's name without first introducing herself. That's alright though, I already know who you are. As for me… you may call me Noel." Letting her other hand fall to her stomach, Noel tapped the black number etched into the skin of her belly with a finger... just above the hole through which the floor behind her could be seen. "I'm the third espada around here. I don't really make much of a huff about being Mas or Renovar… not that you would even understand so we'll just go with the number and leave it at that… stupid titles anyway."

"You're just another obstacle that wastes my time! I'm sick of the distractions!! Destruction arts number eighty-eight! Heavenly Dragon Thunder Cannon!" The huge blast of blue electricity tore a path straight at Noel. As it closed the distance, it lit up the growing smile that crossed her face as she raised her free hand. The kido spell met against her open palm and stopped dead. For a few moments, she humored the attempt it was making, but the feeling quickly passed and she closed her hand into a fist. She banished the powerful magic as simply as one would turn off a light. There wasn't even a hint of a scratch anywhere on her as she waved the lingering smoke from her palm.

Momo blinked in confused surprise… the espada had done nothing more than use her own hand to block the strike. Even Aizen all the years back had counteracted that spell with a defensive shield to keep it from striking him. But this arrancar simply undid it like she had caught a pebble thrown at her. "How… how did you… that can't be possible." Letting her grin shift to a devious smirk, Noel lifted her long sword from her back and set the tip down onto the floor.

"Oh, now what would the fun be in just telling you? You should find out for yourself!" Swinging her blade high, Noel let loose a spiritual power that made the first simply pale to a snuffed candle in comparison. The bright crimson energy radiated from her like a cloud as the ground shook violently. All the pillars around her were instantly broken apart, the walls and floor cracking from the sheer undeniable might pressed upon them. The ceiling even was falling in great chunks as the spiritual pressure finally condensed into what looked like an almost solid mass around the arrancar. "Because I'm not heartless, I'll offer you one piece of advice, captain. Release your bankai… right now."

Hinamori was still reeling from the crushing force of the espada's spiritual release. She found her feet and took a combat stance, a look of pure determination on her face. The arrancar just grinned and shook her head. "Fine, have it your way. Don't whine and complain that I wasn't fair." Drawing her free hand back, Noel snapped her fingers before punching the air straight in front of her. The moment her arm fully extended the end of her fist exploded with light as a jet of flames wreathed with thick blue lightning shot out. The size of it taking up nearly all the hallway as it burned a path towards its target.

Momo instantly recognized her own kido spells. As she dove out of the way, she even felt Tobiume's spirit energy within the intense stream. This espada hadn't snuffed the attacks out... she'd eaten them. A cold weight grew in her stomach as the realization took hold. If this espada could absorb kido magic... the thought wasn't given time to finish as Noel pounced, swinging her sword down to release a massive wave of blood-red energy. Momo's mind screamed one thing, and one thing only. Get out of the way, or die.

"You should have used your bankai when I gave you the chance."

A beam of crimson light shot out of the hole the espada's spiritual pressure had caused in the roof. A spotlight that filled the whole desert with foreboding illumination. It was almost like a signal to all... the battle had truly begun. Espada and captain clashing against one another. Two forces of unquestionable destruction, both sides bent on only one goal... Total victory.

* * *

Ichigo just set his jaw as he watched the viewer. Every bone in his body itched to join the battle. But, he knew he had to remain calm and patient. His mind knew at least. The duty of the Mas Espada was on the home front, and they would perform it without hesitation. Despite that knowledge he still wanted more than anything to take his sword and join his comrades. His was not a blade best suited for the sidelines. "Hinimara, Sana… Noel and Grimmjow... Things are starting to escalate... and now Rukia ran off… I should be out there with her! With all of them!"

"You know you can't, for several reasons besides our real goal. If this is going to work, we have to remain calm," a composed voice spoke from behind.

"Easier for you to say, you just make an ice clone and send it out to do what you damn well please! It's your fault and yours alone that so many are dead already! I told you, trust no one!"

"I had no way of knowing Momo would take such extreme measures as she did."

"Well I'm about to return some of those measures. I am not the sort of person who sits and waits!" Turning, Ichigo was about to go when a hand grasped his shoulder. He turned to look right into the eyes of whoever dared try and stop him, hands already squeezed into fists. He met Tia's piercing stare as she shook her head slowly.

"You know you have to stay... I will go."

"No, I'll go." Everyone looked as Nelliel pushed her sword and sheath into the sash around her waist. "Like Ichigo said, it is the duty of the Mas Espada to defend our home. If so, the it is also my duty to protect those within it."

"Nell… you don't have to do this just for me."

"That's where your wrong. I would draw my sword for less, Ichigo. I could not stand the thought of you going through so much and receiving nothing in return. Not after all that you've done for us. Please, leave it to me." With a quick bow of her head, Nelliel vanished from the throne room, leaving those within to watch the viewer in silence. It was short lived as Ichigo looked at the blonde arrancar at his side and let out a long, uneasy breath.

"Why?" Tia only turned her eyes to look at him, as if the question didn't make any sense to her. "Why do you always do so much for me?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

"You call me your brother, you always have ever since the day we met. Just now, you were even willing to risk yourself against whoever is hunting for me in the halls of this fortress… just so Rukia would be safe. Never once have you ever given me a reason for anything." Ichigo knew it was a strange place to ask, but her offer to go had pushed his curiosity to the breaking point.

"…" Letting her eyes drift back to the viewer, Tia let out a low sigh much like Ichigo's a moment before. "The reasons for my actions are my own. My words are what they are, and my hand moves as I see fit. I do so much… because no one else has made me feel like I had a soul." Turning away, Harribel strode off to stand beside one of the windows, arms crossed as she stared out at the façade of peace over the dunes, even as a great pulse of red light bathed the sand in a bloody hue.

Ichigo just watched her for a moment before turning his attention back to the watery image. A slight tap at his elbow made him look as another arrancar came to his other side. Fade just grinned placidly as she knocked the back of her fist against him again. "You have a way with women… enough to surround yourself with them. You know that, right?"

"I didn't pick my allies."

"You didn't pick your **friends**, they picked you. We should mean more to you than just fellow soldiers in a war. Allies indeed."

"I would think you'd be more worried about Noel than me. She's the one out fighting."

"Noel can more than handle herself. It's someone else who has me worried." Reaching up, Fade tapped the shimmering surface of the viewer as the image changed. The aerial battle came into crystal-clear sight as Hinimara and Hisagi clashed again and again. "Things are escalating, as you said yourself. Too quickly I think."

"I trust Hinimara's judgment." Fade looked up at the face of the man her memories told her was her brother. Not just by title, no… her blood as one would say. Such a strange notion, but still one she could not deny.

"Then I trust yours. I just hope this plan of yours will work. We have staked so much on success… anything else really isn't an option anymore."

"Speaking of plans, Toshirou… when will we be ready? I'm growing old over here." All eyes turned to the white-haired man as he sat on the back of the throne. His folded hands held in front of his mouth as he rested his elbows on his knees. He looked deep in thought, though his attention was fixed on the image of the battle far overhead.

"That would depend on our personal scientist, wouldn't it? I'm a tactician, not a machinist."

"… Szayel. He's had plenty of time already. Someone bring that pink-haired bastard up here, even if you have to drag him. It's time he returned on his end of our little bargain. I've put up with his stalling long enough."

Without a word, Tia spun on her heels and marched straight for the door. In moments she was gone, leaving the others to watch and wait.

* * *

**AU: Zanpakutou Files**

**Former 13th Division Vice-Captain Shinataya Taska: Miru no Yondaigenso - "Overseer of the Sacred Four Elements;" A unique sword able to call upon the powers of fire, water, air, and earth. It requires great physical strength to wield. It's release command is "Enforce thy iron whim."  
**


	23. Of Sins and Their Burden

**HAH HAH!!! Inspiration strikes like a spiked brick to the head! This came out just the way I wanted it first go! So, for all my friends out there, thanks for putting up with my retarded updating schedule! That and I know all of you wanted to see some wanton brutal action, well here you go. But be warned, this chapter does get *brutal* in all sense of the word.**

**And now, without further ado... VIOLENCE!!**

* * *

Battle. A constant of any shinigami's life. Living to fight, to clash swords, and spill blood upon the fields of war. Though, even for the most bloodthirsty, there was method to the madness. An etiquette to the insanity; the unspoken code of behavior one followed when meeting steel and spirits in conflict. This unwritten set of rules was what had always driven Shuhei, one he'd learned from his own former captain. The art and ways of justice; the uplifting of the weak and the humility of the strong. He had thought only the day before that now he would put that silent law to practice once more. He would fight for justice and defeat a dangerous man to keep his deadly ultimatum from coming to fruition. Or... so he had imagined.

This was not the same. No law or training could prepare one for something like this. An espada whose power allowed her to become completely untouchable, whose voice alone tore flesh and rent muscle. Strength that could crack bone from the simplest touch, and the very spiritual presence that burned like a fire gone out of control. This was not about justice, this was life and death.

Dodging under the raking claws Shuhei swung Kazeshini as best he could. The curved sickle simply passed through the espada's torso, lightly parting her as if the body were made of the mist she surrounded herself with. His attack was countered with three neat slashes across his arm before a stout kick right to his stomach. She was focusing on damaging him on a close, personal level now. He could see why as well. Her eyes showed nothing but rage, like a creature from some deep abyss had awoken within her and drove that fury to all new heights.

Hinimara Avarii, no stranger hollow or arrancar had Shuhei ever encountered. Though, for all her unique abilities there were always weaknesses. She had to make parts of herself solid to attack him, and she could not physically strike at the same time as using that siren voice. Though, as he had learned, the term "same time" was completely relative. She was so fluid, so perfectly synchronized in her strikes that the dreadful realization was dawning slowly to the captain as he warded off another barbed wing from taking his head. This arrancar was a far more skillful fighter than he.

Battle was something she seemed not just accustomed to, but at home within. The admission of who she once was had been shock enough. She had the advantage of experience on her side. Though Shuhei could not see the resemblance of this hollow to the former eighth division's lieutenant… he did sense some small part of her that felt as a shinigami should. That tiny piece of light standing out in a dark room. That small flicker of either hope, or doom for even light could be a dangerous thing.

Another wing strike came in as Hisagi wrapped his shikai's chain around the limb. It held fast as the appendage became solid, and he wasted no time in cutting as deeply as he could while he had the chance. The wing was not sheered away, but it bled terribly as Hinimara backed off, resuming her intangibility to prevent further damage. "We will be fighting like this for days, Yadomaru! Neither of us can overcome the other with such basic attacks as these! I already know your tricks, they won't protect you for long."

"**Tricks? You speak of tricks? You can control the path of those blades of yours through the chain connecting them... Don't think you're the only one with a keen eye.**" The words came like daggers to Hisagi's whole body, but he held strong.

"You are better than to use such simple feints. Someone of your caliber has far more to offer than claws and kicks. I know who you were, and this here is nothing more than a shell."

"**You don't know anything about me. You have no idea what sort of person I am!!**" It was enough to make the man flinch. A solid round kick to his face turned Shuhei the other direction as a green blast slammed into his back. The cero was enough to push him, but with a sweep of his blade Hisagi smashed the brunt of the beam off to disappear into the horizon. While he'd avoided the worst of it, smoke still rose from the wounds already inflicted by the powerful energy. "I know you once wore a uniform such as this. You carried that badge with pride, and upheld the ideals of Soul Society with diligence. How could you now so easily turn your back?"

"**Turn my back? Turn my back?! Look at me!!**" She flared out her wings, spreading her arms wide as if to give the captain a better view of her form. "**You think I chose to become this?! You think I wanted to be dragged screaming into the void?! You think I wanted to become a hollow?!! I didn't turn my back! I WAS CAST OUT!!**" The force of her shout tore at the captain's clothing and cut him like a hundred razors as he raised his weapons in futile defense against the sound. "**Left to rot in this desert, my own body torn from me! You accuse me of turning my back?! I no more turned away than you saved your captain from his own folly.**" She ev npointed a talon at him to put as much venom as she could into the accusation.

Shuhei's eyes widened. The memory of that day came back like a raging flood in his mind. Driving his sword into his former mentor… and dealing the final blow. He had that blood on his hands, and the mere thought of it made his heart to ache. He barely felt the crushing blow as Hinimara sent him sailing straight through a tall tower, destroying the structure in the process. Deep in his heart, Hisagi felt something stir. A feeling he always tried to control, but this time there was no stopping it. Anger… and at that moment, he saw only red.

The buzz saw sound of Kazeshini filled the air as the weapon soared at is target. Hinimara just let the attack pass through her as Hisagi followed after it. He swiped the other sickle at the arrancar, and she just grinned as that too did nothing more than irritate her foggy aura. "I did save him! I saved him from himself! There is only one other he would have desired life's closure from than I!!"

"**You must tell yourself that every night so you can sleep better. But no matter how much you lie to yourself, how much you hate yourself, it doesn't forgive the sins you carry!**" A right hook turned Shuhei's head to the side as blood splattered from his mouth. "**You can weep, you can pay your respects to an empty grave, but in the end it means nothing more than the sum of your own memories!**" Two more punches had the captain reeling. He tried to move back using a flash step, but Hinimara was waiting for him as she dug her claws into the man's shoulders.

"You think I don't know that?!" Swinging his arm back, Shuhei smashed his elbow in the espada's ribs and actually struck solid flesh. The woman exhaled forcibly as the air was pushed out of her lungs. Now was the chance. Hisagi whirled around, not minding the talons that ripped through the skin and muscle of his arms as he brought both sides of Kazeshini down with as much force as he could manage. Cutting two neat gashes through the espada's chest, the captain finished his counterattack with as strong a kick as he could to send his enemy speeding away.

Hinimara stopped herself as she fell to one knee. She still floated there as if on some invisible platform, but her blood flowed freely towards the sand below. "I've had to live with more on my conscience than I would have ever dreamed as a younger man! You speak of sins as if you are such an expert! Enlighten me, Yadomaru! What do you carry that lets you so freely admonish others?!"

Hinimara's burning eyes rose to glare viciously at her opponent. Though, her voice no longer held its terrible power, her words still dripped of hateful rage. "I did not choose to become this. The day Karakura met its fate, I was suddenly attacked by my own inner demon. Every last one of us was at the exact same time. Within minutes over half were well into the transformation, unable to even slow it down**.**" Taking to her feet again, Hinimara stumbled slightly. Blood still flowed down her front, trickling on her legs before falling the great distance to the ground below. But she stood despite the grievous injury. "What little control I had left was used for one purpose. To escape… to flee from whatever was causing me to change. In the end, my own cowardice is the reason I alone am the last vaizard… though even that means nothing now."

Her legs gave out, and Hinimara fell again to her knees. Wings drooping to hang like a cape from her back, the espada took gasping breaths as her bright glow waned to a dull shine. Letting his weapons fall to his sides, Hisagi just stared as the woman covered her face with a bloody hand. "You were afraid. That is not unheard of."

"I was afraid because a hollow fears for itself. It wants nothing more than to continue existing, no matter who dies to accomplish that. That is all I wanted, to keep living even if it meant losing the others. By coming to this place, I sealed my own fate. I became the very creature I'd spent a century trying to master." Continuing to darken, Hinimara let her arms fall limply as she once again pushed to her feet. It was like the light around her was being consumed into the now black mist. "I was so hungry… like my body was turning inside-out from the need." Even her eyes had changed, no longer shining the brilliant indigo. They were graying, as if the flames lost more and more color with every moment the light around was absorbed. "You, Captain Shuhei, remember the act of killing your own former captain. You gave him an honorable death. You no doubt recall his teachings fondly, and honor the good name he once held. Guilt over trifles."

Even her wings were rising now. The feathers though more resembled bladed spikes. Her whole body was transforming right before the captain's eyes. "I fed on other hollows. I remember every one that I tore to pieces and consumed out of blind hunger. Like a hole I could not fill; though I gorged myself and still was as empty as before. That day was the moment Yadomaru Lisa died, and I was born." With a blinding flash a large ring of light appeared behind Hinimara's body. The moment it fully came to pass her entire form was bathed in such a white glow that Shuhei had to turn away, shielding his eyes. "I am Hinimara Avarii, an arrancar, and on my soul are the sins of a murderer! My shame is not self-righteousness like yours, it is the loss of humanity itself!!"

A wave of air spread out from the bright center she occupied as Hinimara became visible once again. The golden light was gone, replaced with a far more potent white. There was no longer an aura of mist, her body gave off its powerful shine all on its own. The sideways halo that now floated behind her was all the more blinding. "How ironic then that such a wretched past is awarded with an angelic form such as this. A being of pure light... I would think this form of mine is simply fate's way of spiting me."

"What is this? You already released your zanpakutou!"

"Don't think that only shinigami have the power to use a second, greater power. We arrancar can as well." Barely able to react in time, Hisagi dodged to blast of white energy that had seemingly come from nowhere. It suddenly curved up and around before coming after him again. "So I say this to you, Captain Shuhei. Who is truly the victim of your guilt? Is your former captain, or are you?"

"We are all victims of our own wrongdoings! Guilt and shame is something we must all live with!" The man shouted as he kept as far away from the white seeker as possible. This was Cero Incognito... but on a level of danger worlds above the green varient of before.

"But that's where you are wrong. You have let your guilt eat away at you, I can see it in your eyes. I have come to terms with what I am. I can live with myself and what I've done. You simply seek ways of rectifying yourself for something only you are ashamed of." Lifting her hands, Hinimara let two streams of brilliant white lead out from her palms and intermix in between them. As she spread her arms out, the light took form as a blade. "You have to learn to simply accept things as they are."

The white seeker suddenly vanished without a trace as Hinimara pounced. She swung her glowing sword through Kazeshini as if the weapon were made of rotten wood. The black metal shattered and the chain burst as the powerful beam sword blasted the whole of the shikai to pieces. Shuhei was left with nothing more than a pair of metal rods as he was thrown back. Finally regaining his balance, he looked once at the remains of his zanpakutou, then back at the espada. "How can I accept when it is my home, my life, everything that I have fought for that is on the line?! I refuse to sit back and accept anything when so much is at stake! How can you even consider I would do something like that?"

"Because there is nothing you can do about it. You will fail, Captain Shuhei. That is simply the truth. We cannot deny truth."

"And you cannot tell the future; I am never so helpless as that. I have not failed while the strength to fight still flows. You underestimate the resolve my former captain pressed upon me!" Hisagi brought his shikai's remains forward and pressed the metal together as he funneled a stream of spirit pressure into the two pieces. Hinimara already knew what he was about to do. She was actually expecting it.

"Predictable." She gripped the sword in her hand a little tighter, waiting for just the exact moment. He was going to use his bankai, just like any captain would in a dire situation such as that. And so... as Kazeshini began to resonate with light from the spiritual pressure, Hinimara made her move.

"Ban-" Shuhei was not even able to speak the rest of the releasing command as a concentrated white beam struck him and passed on through without the slightest resistance. He simply looked down in surprise at the neat, circular hole in his right shoulder. Two more beams flashed into terrible existence as Hisagi shuddered. His chest and leg now bore a gaping, cauterized hole just as his shoulder did. "But… how…"

"You said yourself. You fight for your home, your life, and everything dear. The difference between us is I've already had all of that stripped away from me. I have nothing left. My friends and allies are nothing but memories, not even my body is the same anymore. As your own lieutenant told me... like the Quincy before us we have been deemed unworthy of existing. But, as you have seen… I will not go down without a fight."

"Dai…baru?"

"And that reminds me...That little girl and I will be having a very long conversation once I'm finished with you. I trust I do not need your blessing, Captain Shuhei."

"Don't you dare!!" It was too late. Placing her clawed hand on the captain's chest, Hinimara charged a powerful ball of energy before firing it. The cero completely engulfed Hisagi in its immense power the moment it fired. The shockwave released when the blast struck the ground was powerful enough to shake the entire fortress and all that surrounded it. As the cloud of rising ash and dust passed, Hinimara could see the captain's sprawling form smashed against a cushion of glass. He did not rise again. "We all accept what is true, Captain Shuhei. Whether we choose to or not."

* * *

The bright white beam was the last Kayami saw of Captain Shuhei as the whole fortress shook from the power of the attack. She had finally found some function in her arms and legs to crawl, though her progress was slow and excruciating. Like trying to move though her tendons were made of razor wire and her muscles solid granite. As she tried her best to make it to one of the rising obelisks, the sound of footsteps behind her made the gut-wrenching fear return in full. She turned onto her back, lifting her arms to vainly shield herself from any possible attack. "Please… please, don't kill me."

"Did I say I was going to kill you? Or are you just repeating the words you heard from those you murderer today to plead for your own skin?"

"I'll tell you anything you want, just please… no more."

"I know you're going to tell me. **You make it sound like you had a choice.**" There was nothing blocking it now. No forcing through the agonizing sound that reverberated through the whole body. Kayami just gripped her ears and screamed from the pain. "You will find for ruthless brats such as yourself, I have little in terms of pity… or mercy." Grabbing the shinigami's clothes, Hinimara picked her up over her head before slamming her down onto her back with enough force to crumble the stone underneath. "Brats with big mouths, getting themselves into more trouble than they should." The lieutenant just moaned as her tormentor cracked a fist across her face. Pulling back, Hinimara let another punch go, staring at the blood that had accumulated on her knuckles from Daibaru's split cheek.

Standing up, the espada kneeled back down to roughly take hold of her prisoner's throat. Such a short time before, Kayami had scoffed at her opponent's lack of height. But now, the shining white arrancar was even taller than her. Just being held at shoulder level had her feet dangling free. The tangent thoughts were immediately banished as Hinimara tightened her grip until Daibaru squirmed, fighting for every breath. "Many of my peers think of me as being too soft. They say I don't have the will to do what is completely necessary in any situation. Let me ask you, Lieutenant Daibaru… am I being too soft?" The red-haired shinigami shook her head violently. "Then we are on the same page. I'm going to ask a question, and you are going to answer. I don't like the answer, I'm going to hurt you. Is this getting through to you, or do I need to say it louder?"

"Cr…cry-s… crystal…" Released from the arrancar's grip, Kayami fell limply to the ground. She wasn't even given a moment to recover when Hinimara stomped her down so she could lean to look right into the bloodied face.

"You referred to me and mine as something to be purged… like the Quincy. I at first suspected you just meant arrancar as a whole… but no, you weren't speaking recently, were you?" Kayami's saucer eyes just stared up, she was truly afraid now. "I'm waiting for an answer."

"No! Not… entirely."

"Not entirely? You're going to have to do better than that." One of the wings lifted up, the spikes lining it seemed to point down at the lieutenant as it readied to strike.

"Hybrids! All of them! It was a purge of the hybrids!!" Now Hinimara's eyes were narrowing. Her wing folded back, but her fists were clenching tightly.

"Explain… now."

"I… it…"

"You're not speaking fast enough. Let me offer some motivation." Lifting her foot off Kayami's sternum, Hinimara brought it down on the woman's left hand. The audible sound of breaking fingers was only drowned out by a scream of agony. "Let's try again, and a little faster."

"I… please… ah… no more."

"You still have another hand! If you want to keep it, tell me!!"

"Ka… Karakura… was deemed too dangerous a place to continue protecting… hollowfied shinigami, spiritually imbued humans… it was finally decided… to purge it completely. The vaizard, the humans… everyone."

"How do you know all of this?!"

"I was an officer… in the Onmitsukido before transfer... to the thirteen divisions. I served directly under… Commander Soi Fon. She was the one who received the order… to attack." Kayami spoke only in gasps for the pain, but she didn't dare stop after glancing at her hand.

"She received it? Hmm, then who gave the order?"

"… I… I don't know."

"Wrong answer."

"No!!" It was too late. Grabbed by the shirt again Kayami was ripped up to her feet. The punch that connected with her cheek spun her around to face the roof's edge. The dull buzz in her head from the powerful strike suddenly paled as searing pain exploded over her back. The claws had dug to bone as Daibaru fell onto her one good hand. She immediately tried to crawl away, knowing she must look utterly pitiful at that point. "Please… no more… I'm begging you!!"

"I'm sure plenty of your own victims begged for their lives, just so you could laugh in their faces. Assassins are often like that, as I have learned… and I'm still waiting for what I want to hear."

"I… don't…"

"Oh yes you do, but I guess you aren't as afraid of me as you need to be yet." Snagging the scruff of Kayami's collar in her hand, Hinimara walked leisurely towards the roof's edge. The shinigami was dragged behind, unable to even walk under her own strength. "This will be my last question, and you get one chance to get it right." Pulling Daibaru up, the espada grabbed her neck again and held her at arm's length from the edge. It was a very long drop. "I know for a fact if I let go, there's no way you'll even be able to slow yourself down at this point. Now that the mental image has set in, let me ask one… last… time. Who gave the order to destroy the vaizard, and Karakura with them?!"

"It... it was…" One of Hinimara's fingers straightened, and Kayami immediately felt herself beginning to slip from the espada's grip. "Yamamoto!! He gave the order for us to attack! After that, the other divisions were brought in to assist after we made the first move!! But it was Yamamoto's word that began the attack in the first place!!"

"The… Captain General? He gave an order to destroy the very city he once fought to protect? That doesn't make any sense at all. What are you not telling me?!"

"That's everything… I swear it!!"

"You swear it?"

"Yes!! Please… please, stop…" Tears were streaming down the lieutenant's face as she stopped fighting. She even went limp in the espada's grip. "I've told you everything I know."

"I have one last question… when Lord Kurosaki arrived, how long had it been since the attack began?"

"…It was… only fifteen minutes."

"Oh, so you were there; not just some innocent bystander having heard the news by hearsay. That makes sense. I'm sure plenty of defenseless people met their end thanks to that disgusting sword of yours." Hinimara took two steps back so that the lieutenant's feet were hanging just above the edge. The mere illusion of safety.

"What… are you doing?"

"You're a vice-captain, Daibaru Kayami. Your place is by your leader's side. I'm just sending you to him." The punch landed dead in the shinigami's stomach. The air in her lungs hissed out like a deflating balloon as the espada took a step back. Kayami was too stunned to even move as the powerful side-kick landed center mass. The sheer force sent her flying from the roof as the momentum quickly began to fade. Hinimara watched the last terrified look cross the vice-captain's face as she plummeted towards the desert floor.

Turning away, she let out a long and strained breath. "I preferred this whole debacle when it was so much more complicated. Knowing things makes for a headache." Pieces were coming into place. Mysteries were starting to make more and more sense, and the more the mind dwelled the less appealing the answers became. Hinimara just turned to leave the roof's edge as her mind pondered this new information. Before she had taken two steps, a dull thud echoed up from far below. Looking over her shoulder, the espada mentally grinned before taking off at a brisk walk. "Me going soft… now I wonder who thought that?"

In a bright flash of white, she was gone.

* * *

"So, the victory goes to the fifth." Ichigo did not sound very pleased despite his statement. He had taken to pacing to and fro behind Fade as she kept a sharp eye on the viewer.

"She always was excessive."

"But she gets the job done."

"Would the torturing of a helpless woman be added to that job description?"

"We're talking about the same shinigami who killed your fraccion in cold blood? The same one who has Noel's on the verge of death? Choose your words more wisely, Fade. This is war."

"This is revenge."

"This is war." Both pairs of eyes turned to regard Toshirou as he still had his mouth rested against folded hands. "In war, casualties are simply part of the equation. If you cannot bear the burden, do not draw the sword." The statement left Fade silent for some time. She just kept her eyes to the fluid image, turning away only to keep from watching Kayami's fateful plummet to the unforgiving ground. She'd had enough, tapping the surface to change the image's source.

Ichigo on the other hand could not feel more restless. Rukia was still out there, and he had no way of finding her… even with the viewing panel. He had nothing but faith in Nell… but there was still that grating need to join in the search himself. He needed a distraction… anything to get his mind away from tearing his own fortress apart looking for a single woman. He checked himself for such a thought… Rukia was far more than that to him. The fact was he would tear the whole place to pieces if it meant finding her that much faster was proof enough.

Before he could entertain the thought further, Ichigo received his desired break from the thoughts of destroying his home. The throne room doors were thrown open as a man came flying through head-first. He landed unceremoniously on his front as the sultry figure of Harribel followed. "When you said you were becoming impatient, I did not know you meant to throw me!" Szayel snarled as he rose to his feet, taking more than a few minutes to dust himself off. "I would have come for the asking!"

"Are you done?" Ichigo's voice made the former espada freeze. He turned his head to look as the man approached, a nervous correction of his glasses the only movement made. "I asked you a question, Szayel."

"Of what do you refer to, Kurosaki?" Tia only had to raise her fist to make the man shrink behind his own arms. He had seen what a single punch from that woman was capable of. "Lord Kurosaki!! My apologies, I forgot myself!"

"I mean the whole damn fortress, pinky. Is it ready?" Ichigo tapped Zangetsu against the throne's armrest to emphasize his question.

"Yes… the bridge can finally be formed… but it will take time to activate the machines."

"How much time?"

"I won't know until I begin the start-up sequence. But, once I begin… it cannot be stopped."

"Then it is now or never. I haven't waited so long to postpone this any further. Start this masterpiece of yours." With a smirk, Szayel marched towards the steps leading to the throne. He noted all the others watching him. The Renovar… all of them. Even the white-haired shinigami stood at a distance, his gaze as piercing as ever. None of that mattered now. Finally, his greatest invention could be activated. Though… not for its originally intended purpose, but such was the way of innovation.

Climbing each step carefully, Szayel came to a halt at the throne. He let his hand touch the white stone ever so slightly before turning and easing himself to sit in it. Harribel just watched, her arms folded as was her habit. She ever so slightly shook her head, remembering all too well the same man's actions from that very seat years past. "And so, the last Night Lord sits upon his blood-soaked throne once more," she spoke in only a whisper. The thought that Szayel had been the instrument of her revival brought a sickening weight to Tia's stomach.

Placing his hands upon the rests, Szayel stiffened as a loud mechanical grinding could be heard. Like giant gears slowly coming to life once again. As the sound became faster, the stairs leading to the throne began to retract. As soon as they disappeared completely inside the column on which the seat rested it began to descend with a deep rumbling to accompany it.

The moment the enthroned pillar came to sit at floor level an intricate network of lines shot out along the floor as they spread up onto the walls and to the ceiling. The powerful glow illuminated the whole room as the lights throbbed, pulsing brighter and brighter as a thick hum filled the room. Then, the fortress as a whole began to rumble. Like some enormous beast awoken from years of peaceful sleep it growled with the grating of metal and machine.

Then, the whole structure began to turn ever so slowly as if like some massive cog in an impossibly huge device. All the while, Ichigo watched with as stoic an expression as he could. His mind could not drift away from the desire to charge sword-first through the halls to find Rukia wherever she could be. But, that small part hidden within the recesses of his thoughts could not help but grin madly. Twenty-five years and finally the waiting was over.

"Finally... it's time to go home."


	24. Cause and Effect

**Okay... so I took a creative holiday for a while... my brain was literally frying itself. Picking back up where I left off hasn't been easy, especially with this chapter. For some reason this one was just problem after problem after problem. I finished it, finally, so I could move on the to the next one, which is actually almost done.**

**The thing is though, I'll be heading home soon. Very soon in fact. Expect a rather quick update after this one, followed by a long absense such as the one all of you just endured. To be sure though, by returning to the states it will be much easier for me to update. Yay for all, cookies shall be had. Anyway, on to the madness.**

* * *

"It's going to take an hour? A whole hour?"

"We've suffered through worse."

"Not with all this happening... ugh, I'm not spending another second sitting on my hands! I need to stretch my legs before I go mad."

"But you said yourself we were to remain here! Are you going back on your own commands?"

"Are you going to try and stop me?" There was only silence from the others as Ichigo turned around slowly. "Know this, and remember it. The sword is the only tool that makes claims here. If you demand something or make an accusation like that one, you had better be ready to back it up before you open your mouth."

"And are you saying I should draw my sword on you?"

"If you believe in something, you should always be ready to fight for it. That is the absolute law to which I've come to abide by. My only law."

"Ichigo! Wait…" Fade ran to the taller man's side. He looked down at her, and though his eyes were fierce, his expression was soft. He was having difficulty maintaining the steeled façade, as he often did. "Please… this has nothing to do with plans or vengeance or hate. I'm worried because I've seen the way you look at the intruders… The glint in your eye… I know you want to fight them. Even if it goes against everything you said before."

"Only one… I only want to fight one. We have… unfinished business." The boom of a sonido jump marked Ichigo's disappearance as the spiritual pressure of the room took a sharp drop. Looking back at the viewer, Fade simply sighed as she returned to her place before it. When he put his mind to something, Ichigo was unstoppable. Now all she could do was wait. Despite it all, she still knew the obligations placed upon her. She would not disobey.

Keeping her attention to the liquid surface before her, Fade tried to ease her mind. It was focused on the heated duel between Sana and the behemoth of a captain. The two of them were clashing with no thought at all to anything other than the next strike. But… despite the battle… Fade could not break her mind from the thought of Ichigo. Her heart told her he was blood… but her mind only saw an obstacle to one day surpass. Like a bar held before the next level could be obtained. Such were the ambitions of a hollow.

It was a troubling state of being. Never truly sure of just exactly who or what she was. Fade had struggled with it ever since her reawakening. Since the day she had finally remembered her past. "Turmoil has its place… but only as a means to an end. I think Ichigo understands that better than we do." A deep voice uttered, as if reading the espada's thoughts as she had them.

"How can you just sit by and ponder, Toshirou? You're his friend aren't you? You should have done something."

"Even if I wanted to, I could not have stopped him. His powers greatly supersede my own. I have had the unfortunate opportunity to learn the hard way… But, I think he knows what he's doing."

"And what is that?"

"Challenging one of his old mentors. Breaking away from the weight of the past… just as I did." The white-haired man leapt from his new perch on one of the protrusions now extended from the floor. It was as if the entire fortress was changing every few seconds. Doors, windows, walls, entire pieces were melding into others and becoming something else entirely.

"So you're leaving too?"

"To finish something I started. Look." With a flick of his fingers Hitsugaya shifted the surface of the viewer without even touching it; alighting to one of the battles still raging within the confines of the desert palace. Fade immediately recognized her sister, and saw the opponent she clashed against.

"The captain from before… what are you planning, Toshirou?"

"Szayel said it will be an entire hour before this machine reaches its full strength. Momo will not last a quarter of that against Noel. Your sister is far too powerful for a captain of Hinamori's level, strong as she may be. And I've never seen Noel spare anyone... ever."

"You intend to save her life then? Even after what she did?"

"I promised her as a child that I would always look after her, protect her. Just because we stand on different sides of a field does not negate that oath. Even if she cares nothing for her own life… I still do."

"… Shinigami. Your twisted logic and contradictory ideals are the very cause of this entire conflict. What is the purpose for the rescue of one when so many are going to die?"

"Ulquiorra." Toshirou's voice dripped of resentment as he watched the pale arrancar touch down softly. "As merciless as ever it would seem. Did the shadows not please you anymore?" The chide was ignored as the espada passed by.

"I simply do not see the reasoning behind such a futile choice of action. Saving one while a thousand die. She was a means to an end, as you so eloquently put… and her usefulness has run out." Fade could see Hitsugaya's hands clench tightly. But, his face remained calm.

"I do not have the time to sit and debate worth to someone who sees none. So… get out of my way." Without as much as an affirming blink, Ulquiorra stepped aside as Toshirou vanished out the door. The opening disappeared as a wall replaced it, momentarily sealing the occupants of the throne room within before several windows grew in the walls.

The light that streamed in illuminated the three espada. The Renovar. Ichigo's means to a most violent end. Though their time had not yet come, the clock was quickly running out.

* * *

"RAAH!" The shrill war cry echoed through the ruined hall as espada and captain clashed steel for steel in the wreckage of what had once been a great hall, now reduced to rubble. What little remained of a bankai laid in shards and chips all about the ground. The only piece still intact was swung with reckless abandon as Sana crushed her weapon down onto Saijin's. The blow was enough to drive the captain's feet into the stone beneath him, but did nothing to push his sword out of the way. "Damn you! Fall… DOWN!!"

Pulling back, Sana swung again but her target retreated quickly to avoid the attack. The blast of air from his flash step throwing her hair behind her wildly. The two opponents finally stood off, glaring at one another. Both bore deep wounds, gashes, cuts, and any number of other injuries imaginable. By fist, blade, and debris they wore the effects of the other's attacks like trophies. The determination and resiliency were apparent, neither giving any ground. But, unlike her enemy, Sana was running out of weapons. "So… what's it going to be, shinigami? Keep fighting like this until we both die of exhaustion? I can keep up forever, big boy."

"And I have already told you. When you release your hostage, this duel may end."

"What makes you think I'm even controlling her anymore? What makes you think I was _ever_ controlling her?"

"Because we do not turn on one another on a whimsy." Saijin's statement was met only with laughter as the espada rested the tip of the cleaver-like blade against the floor.

"You turn on each other all the time! A shinigami's most frequent enemy is nothing more than another of their peers!"

"And arrancar are not the same? Did you not gain power by devouring your own?" Instead of a surprised look, or an expression of disdain, Saijin saw the espada grin widely as she let Hozukimaru go.

"We do not try to justify ourselves for our insanity. We are beings of primal instinct. It is in our nature to be what we are, to act as we do. You do not have that excuse."

"And was it instinct that drove you to slaughter dozens? If you say you never strike first, what reason was there behind murder?"

"Do not throw that word at me, shinigami!! Not after what your kind has done here this day! We have never attacked first, and you seek our deaths! These fools are not only dead because they are intruders in my home, but for what they took from me. They drove me to give them this fate, all for what they did. Have you never heard… 'it is better to sleep in a den of thieves than to take from its mother a child.'"

"A child?"

"A child… my child!" Kicking her foot up, Sana launched the bankai into the air before striking the hilt with her palm. The force of the blow sent a circle of air expanding from the point of impact as the blade was transformed into a missile, flying straight for Komamura. He had only a moment to raise his own zanpakutou in defense. The moment Hozukimaru struck the captain's blade both weapons simply exploded. Razor sharp scraps of steel tore at Saijin as he was flung backwards. But, his feet found purchase; the stone beneath was torn up as the captain skidded to a stop.

His arms still held in the defensive stance, Komamura breathed out a heavy growl. Grabbing the tattered remains of his clothing, he tore the jacket and shirt from him and let the scraps fall. Only his armored gauntlets remained, creaking as he squeezed his giant hands into fists. Sana could only watch this with a sharp scowl, and even taking a step back. "What does it take… to make you fall?!"

"I pity you, Sana Suriasona. I know the pain of loss… but to resort so quickly to the taking of life is not something to ever be proud of."

"Save your sympathy, shinigami! I have no use for false compassion!" The arrancar charged, but her kick was stopped effortlessly by the much larger man. He countered, and the force of his punch shook every bone in Sana's body. She slammed into the ground and bounced several times before finally coming to rest on her back. She fought to push up until she simply sat on her knees, unable to muster the strength to rise any higher.

"You cannot win like this, espada. You are no match for me. Stop this foolishness, before you get yourself killed." A blood-choked snigger rose from Sana's mouth as she cocked her head to the side.

"Are you trying to get me to use my resurrection? I thought you didn't want to fight me."

"I want even less for an opponent such as you to be beaten without chance to fight back."

"How… honorable of you. But you will be disappointed. That is the price of using another's weapon… my own is stripped from me. But… that doesn't mean I'm helpless!" Raising her left hand, Sana showed off the golden stinger still attached. Komamura could already feel the fierce spiritual charge that the espada was funneling into the shikai. She was going to summon another bankai… and Soi Fon's was not one he had any intention of enduring. Not in this place.

He drew back his fist and was already passing into the surge of a flash step as Suzumebachi began to glow. His awareness peaked, time seemed to slow, and Saijin readied himself for the final attack. He did not want to kill, but his options were so limited now that he had no other choice. The espada was watching him, her eyes livid as the zanpakutou was already changing its form. He had to strike, it was the only course of action. He was so close now that his blow fell, ready to end the arrancar's resistance for good.

The punch struck, and stopped short. The titanic force of the giant's blow was absorbed into a single hand that stopped the captain dead in his tracks. Sana and Saijin both stared wide-eyed at the newcomer who seemed to have simply appeared without warning. The one who had just stopped Komamura's attack as if shielded the sun from pained eyes. "Hello again… Saijin."

"Kuro… saki."

"Sana, go. You have better things to do than get yourself killed."

"I can defeat him! Don't interfere!"

"I do not remember asking for your flawed opinion. I do remember giving an order, now go!" The arrancar hissed in frustration, but finally obeyed. With her retreat, Ichigo turned his dark eyes back to his old peer. "I told you we would meet again, Saijin. Though… never considered these circumstances." Pushing the much larger man back effortlessly, Ichigo looked at the hand he had used to block the powerful strike. He didn't even seem to notice how his simple shove had nearly sent the much larger captain head over heels. "I don't think I've been hit that hard in a very long time." Komamura just held his tongue as he stared at his new foe. The rumors had been true… he did look like an arrancar. "What's wrong? Have you lost your voice as well?"

"Ichigo… what have you done to yourself?"

"A lot of people have been asking me that lately. I didn't do this to myself. It just... happened." Straightening his hand, Ichigo lowered it very slowly as a wave of spiritual pressure expanded from his body. The powerful energy washed over Saijin, making his wounds burn like salt poured into them. There was a dark malice to the spiritual aura, like Ichigo's very being was one of pure destruction. It was not easy to resist. "This is the part where you convince me to stop my crazy campaign… isn't it? Where your heart-felt pleas melt my icy soul?"

"I've tried once before to lead a man from his chosen path. I did not succeed. To repeat the past is to not learn from one's mistakes."

"Ah... I've missed your wisdom, my friend. But you're right, my path is chosen and set. There is no turning back. No amount of debating will change that."

"To destroy Soul Society… all in retribution for your own loss. I know what has happened in the past is wrong, but vengeance will not ease the sear of hate."

"Retribution, vengeance, hate… why have so many been using these words? It isn't like that is what drives me, Saijin. Nothing so mundane." The dark sound of Kurosaki's voice could have sent a chill through a lesser man.

"Then what, Ichigo? Why do this? Why make yourself our enemy?"

"To learn that… you're going to have to make me tell you."

"I don't want to fight you."

"Don't forget, Saijin. We're enemies… and the Seireitei watches. Their eyes are always on you while you wear the mantle of captain… even in this place. You have no choice." While hard as they were, Ichigo's words could not have been more true. Komamura had to fight him… friends or not. "Show me the courtesy, don't hold back… and if we're both still alive afterwards then I'll tell you what you want to know… what you need to know."

"I am not at my peak, Ichigo… and my weapon has shattered."

"Do you see my zanpakutou on me?" As he undid the sash about his waist, Kurosaki let it fall to the ground with his jacket right behind it. "I did not intend to use Zangetsu. This match is… personal. Let's do this like men, and not soul reapers."

"So be it."

"For what it is worth, my friend... I'm sorry."

"As am I... old friend."

The warriors both charged, their fists drawn back and ready as the distance was closed with frightening swiftness. Both bellowing a roar, their blows fell.

* * *

Every hand stopped, every eye turned as all the fortress was shaken. Cracks shot through the walls and pillars as what felt like an earthquake ripped through the whole structure. Sana could only wince as she held a hand tightly to the cut on her stomach. She could feel the tidal wave of clashing forces behind her… and she knew Ichigo's words had been correct. She had not stood a chance… not while handicapping herself with the weapons of others. "Stupid… I shouldn't have been so overconfident."

Pressing her back against a pillar, Sana winced as she held the wound closed on her side. She was bleeding… badly. Every bone in her body felt like it was about to simply fall apart. As the strength in her legs slowly gave out, the espada slid down until she roughly contacted against the ground. Blood fell onto the pristine stone, despite efforts to stem it. For all her words, Sana knew that if she had not been stopped, death would have been as certain as breathing. Though, it seemed, that inevitability had not been avoided by intervention... only postponed.

Mustering what spiritual energy would heed the call, the espada tried her best to regenerate what damage she could. Unfortunately, the usage of such alien weapons as the shinigami zanpakutou had drained her considerably. There was very little remaining to heal. So, taking hold of the stinger on her hand, Sana pulled it off and let the sword return to its sealed form. "I probably look the fool now… oh what Hinimara would say if she saw me. What… Juna would say… Probably not anything, actually." Chuckling to herself, Sana tried to push to her feet, but slid back down. She did not have the strength for even that.

Only the sounds of the battle filled the air, like a pair of thunderstorms clashing against one another. Every so often a blinding flash of light would make it all the way to her. The feeling of Ichigo's thick spiritual pressure was choking the air, and with each powerful quake it would spike, then recede. So much force, and he was not even using his zanpakutou. "Ichigo… no end of surprises thanks to him."

The blood wasn't letting up, and Sana no longer had the energy to repair herself. She just set her head back, staring up at the ceiling as she resigned to that fate. There was nothing more that could be done. Juna was gone, lost to the shinigami and no doubt slain by now. An espada left broken and bleeding to think about better days… not how most would want to die. But for some reason, it didn't bother her. She felt like this was perhaps a better way.

The soul-search did not last long as a rock came clattered from behind a pile of rubble. Sana just stared at it, sensing a presence waiting… watching. It was familiar somehow, but Sana couldn't place it. A cold tingle was growing from her fingers, spreading up both arm and leg. Her mind was growing fuzzy also, and her thoughts refused to dwell on the there and then. As the presence revealed itself, Sana didn't even look at it, didn't even care. "If you've come to kill me, make it quick. I don't have all day."

"... I am no killer."

"Oh… it's you. I thought you'd be long gone by now." Looking up at Isane groggily, Sana glared as the lieutenant came to stand very close to her. "Or… have you come to take revenge? You would not be the first."

"Why did you release me?"

"Hmm?" The espada's eyes seemed to wander, as if on their own.

"It would have been too simple for you to use me against my own captain, but instead every blow meant for me you received. You could have turned us against one another, and yet when the battle grew you sent me running. In the end, your influence faded… I want to know why."

"Do you? Well… it isn't every day that someone asks such deep questions. I guess it would be rude of me to say nothing." Sana's unnerving smile was only made more disturbing by the blood that ran from between her lips. "My power does not last, you see. It is a diversionary tactic… at most, and very tiring to maintain. The reason I took what was meant for you… I didn't see the reason in harming you. You were innocent."

"Yet you killed so many?"

"They killed each other." Isane's hand clamped down over Sana's, pressing it harder into the wound and making the arrancar hiss in pain.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why spare me, but force others to kill? You even used me to do your dirty work… but in the end I was saved from harm."

"I told you… you're innocent, and I don't harm those who have done nothing wrong. Those that came before you used a child as a shield. Before I even realized what I was doing my spear had already driven into her. They forced me to hurt my own… my own…" Sana's eyes fluttered, and the whites became visible as they rolled upwards. A slap across the face brought her back, and left a stinging burn where the strike had fallen.

"The others spoke of this child. Why is she so important? Why kill over her?"

"She's… my daughter. Wouldn't you… do anything to save… your child?" Sliding from the pillar, Sana collapsed to the ground and laid still. Isane knelt, placing her hand on the other woman's neck. Leaning forward, she placed herself close to the espada's ear and spoke in a low tone.

"You do not have the luxury of giving up, Sana. You touched my mind without my permission, made me to do things... Now, you owe me your life." Green light burst from Isane's hands as she placed one over the arrancar's heart, the other over the gash on her side. "I guard life, protect the sanctity of health. Despite what you have forced me to do, I cannot deny my purpose… my duty. So you will help me, and I will help you."

"If… I… refuse?" The espada's voice was weak enough to be shamed by a whisper.

"You have no choice."

Though she growled in resentment, Sana could not help but feel relief as the pain subsided. Her wounds closed… her body already feeling strength flowing back through it. If it meant finding the one thing that mattered most… then aiding a shinigami was a necessary evil. A means to an end worth the pain and suffering. "I will help you… shinigami. I give you my word."


	25. Burning Sky

**OH MY FREAKIN GOD! I'M ALIVE! Yeah, that's right, Jettmann lives. Dead for seven months, and now free to walk upon the earth once more and feed on the blood of the innocent... okay maybe not that but definitely in the very least to write and post a fanfic. Okay, I know I've been totally AWOL since I got back from Afghanistan, I have no excuses... my bad. Time to get outta the bad habit of playing video games instead of writing and actually WRITE. Hopefully I haven't been forgotten, and for everyone who likes this story still, punch me in the face if you have to just to keep me going on it.**

**THE STORY MUST GO ON! Thanks to everyone who got me back on my feet after a long blue funk. And so, without further blabbing, I finally give to you all the next installment of Betrayer's Vengeance.**

* * *

Blood splattered against the floor as the strike slowed to halt. Hinamori simply fell to her knees, eyes wide but hollow. She shook as if the air was frigid as her eyes graced the left arm… it was lying several meters away, fingers twitching. The stump still attached to her shoulder was clean, cauterized as if sliced off with a blade of pure flame. With stunned eyes Momo looked up at the espada girl as she stood over her victim. "See, shinigami… you couldn't even touch me. This can't be the best you all have to offer."

No words left Hinamori's throat, despite her open mouth in the attempt. She couldn't bear herself. To be pitted against something that could only be identified as her natural enemy, Momo had been utterly powerless. Nothing broke this espada's defenses. Nothing fazed her, neither kido nor display of skill. Despite the searing pain of her severed arm, she could only imagine in horror this monstrosity finding its way into Soul Society, or worse, the Seireitei. "I hope you brought more captains. You guys are starting to run out of heavy hitters." Noel just smirked as she took a few steps back, making sure to kick Momo's severed arm farther away as she did. "I mean, come on… One captain against a single espada is one thing… but actually challenging Ichigo? You'd need an army. A few captains are not an army. It makes me grin thinking about the faces you will make when he goes all out."

"We're… not beaten yet." Her voice trembled but Hinamori meant what she said. Again, Noel only grinned, chuckling a little as she tapped the tip of her sword on the ground.

"Oh really? Want to see what happens when pride rules your actions?" Taking one last step back, the espada turned to her side as the far wall suddenly exploded as a large body was thrown through it. Sharp rocks rained down as the figure, silhouetted in the dust, hit a far pillar with flinch-inducing force. Captain Komamura fell to the ground and laid still, blood already seeping from his mouth onto the white floor.

Just as soon as the hole was formed, the whole room was flooded with an oppressive aura. Hinamori, now too weak, was not even able to lift her head as she felt the spirit pressure almost wrench her stomach into knots. The only sound now was crunching stones as a much smaller figure came through the opening it had just made. "That took you long enough, Ichigo. I was just finishing up here." The piercing yellow eyes found their way to fall right on Momo. She felt her muscles seize, sweat dripping from her face as she fought, though to no avail, against Kurosaki's undeniable force of spirit energy. "So, feel better after beating the big guy to a pulp? You always did like to get your hands dirty."

"You didn't kill her," Ichigo said as he scanned the hallway he was standing in. "You held back."

"You're the one who said nothing excessive," Noel muttered with obvious frustration as she sheathed her long sword, the tip coming to rest against the stone floor.

"And yet the fortress is still in ruins. Hurry up; it's almost time to go."

"What about this captain? I mean, she used to be your lieutenant."

"Komamura was my best friend, and I just shattered his ribs… all of them," his voice as cold as ice, the sound of it sending shivers up Momo's spine. He couldn't say it, he wouldn't… She screamed in her own mind for the words not to find her. That final, uncaring order to kill.

"Just… deal with her, get rid of her, I don't care. Hinimara has already dealt with one captain. Why else would we lure them here but to deal with them?" Hinamori's eyes widened at that single word. Lure? They… were lured there? "Two are left, and they're headed for the throne room."

"That's where Fade and Tia are. If Fade would deign herself to actually fighting, that would be a quick scuffle. Then again, Tia isn't too shabby either… though can't say I've ever seen her fight."

"Are you finished?"

"Just go, I'll be right behind you." Noel had barely finished her sentence when Ichigo vanished. "Wow… he's pissed. Beating up doggy boy over there must have wound him up tight." Turning to face where Hinamori was crawling away to, Noel had to stifle a laugh. "Oh come on, get off the floor. You're embarrassing yourself." A swift, merciless fist buried itself into Momo's back. Noel crushed the captain into the white stone, grabbing handfuls of hair before standing back up. She brought the captain with her, almost forcing her to stay upright. "Stand on your feet; it'll make this more satisfying." The moment her feet touched the ground, Momo was almost folded in half by Noel's knee. "Just think, no one left to save you. You served your purpose; you brought our enemy right to us. If you hadn't made such a fuss, this might have been faster. No, you had to sneak assassins in who then went on a killing spree. Oh well. To think we might've given you a chance… not."

Drawing her hand back, Noel straightened her fingers into a knife edge. She aimed directly for the heart as her hand shot down towards its target. She came only an inch away from contact when the strike was stopped cold… literally. The ice encasing her arm almost immediately shattered, but the attack had been thwarted nonetheless. "That's enough, Noel." Toshiro's strong voice and drawn sword was enough to make the espada take a tentative step back. "I will deal with the captain. Go with Ichigo."

"I should have figured you'd send one of your copies in here to stop me. I really wondered if you were going to make it in time." The sound of her voice was more confident than surprised. "I'll leave them to you then." It was now Noel's turn to disappear, vanishing into the afterimage of her sonido.

Taking in the sheer destruction of the hall, Toshiro simply shook his head as he gathered Momo into his arms. "You're always getting in over your head, just like when I was a kid. Impulsiveness will be your death one of these days." Laying the small girl down against a rubble-pile, Toshiro raised his hand as a green glow flowed from it. "One of these days… I won't be there to save you. The top three espada are unimaginably stronger than the lower numbers, and you go and challenge one of them. If you'd been fighting the other third… I might not have been able to stop her."

"Why?" Momo's voice visibly startled Toshiro as his eyes grew wide.

"Do you…" Toshiro didn't even finish as Momo's good hand clamped over his lips.

"No. Why do you keep saving me, even after I tried to kill you?" She was honestly confused; he could read it in her expression as she released his mouth.

"I made a promise. I don't go back on my word."

"You died. The promise belongs to a dead man."

"That never stopped me before." Standing tall, Hitsugaya backed up a few steps as he kept his eyes on the captain before him. "You can still reattach your arm. Once you're done, Komamura will need help. Stay out of the fighting, it's officially gone past the point where you'd be helpful. If the third Renovar gets involved now, with so many wounded… no, best not to think that way. Just stay out of the fight. You're done." Turning to leave, Toshiro was stopped by that sweet voice one last time.

"You know that's something I can't do."

"Listen to me, for once, Momo." He turned only his head, long silver hair masking his face. "If you fight Fade, you'll lose. You'd lose against Harribel, and those that carry the number three are something completely different from any Arrancar I've ever seen. Both of them are on a level above the rest, and you were nearly killed by the weaker one. Besides, it is time we had a talk, you and I. And this time, you're going to listen."

* * *

"I did not think arrancar could reproduce. Yet, you claim one as your daughter."

"Why are you bringing that up again? Why do you insist on talking? I'm helping you so you can help me; we are business partners, not friends or allies. Remember that." Her voice may have been rough, but the tone of her words gave a far different meaning to the listening ear. It held the hints of a threat, like the growl of a wounded animal. Isane though, was less than fazed.

"The only way I could think it would work… that means you were…"

"Pregnant at time of death? I don't remember, nor do I really care. I just know what I do and that's all. I'm going to find Juna, and you can do all the healing to your heart's delight after I'm done with the shinigami who took her."

"I saved your life, unless you don't remember that either." Isane immediately regretted her words as Sana spun and grabbed a hold of the lieutenant's clothes.

"Test my patience, and I might just feel the need to add your zanpakutou to my new collection since I lost all my others." Lifting her armored gauntlet again, the espada made sure the skeletal thing's glowing red eyes were perfectly visible. "I did give my word, but having to listen to you is almost not worth my time… almost. As long as I get what I want, I don't care what it takes in between."

"Maternal concern, it's actually quite touching if you weren't so aggressive," Isane said with a smile. Sana just shook her head with a frustrated sigh. She pushed back to the front, keeping her head straight forward to hide the expression of confusion. Not thirty minutes past she had exposed this silver-haired shinigami to mental stress that would have sent many others into a frenzy. Now she was smiling and making jokes? Did she not care that Sana had every reason to turn on her at a moment's notice?

"I don't care what you call it, or what you think of me," Sana growled, keeping her mess of scruffy hair from showing her face. "You saved my life, and however much that burns me up inside doesn't change the fact that I owe you. Enemies or not, I do have some semblances of honor to uphold. Continue to pester me, and I'll tear off your head out of simple pride."

"You're different… not the arrancar I fought before. This woman is someone new. Even your voice sounds a little different." This finally brought Sana to turn, staring down the lieutenant as if the taller woman were going to start shrinking under the glare. Isane felt a spike of cold fear well in her, but she stood strong. For that moment she could not read whether the espada was about to run her through then and there.

"… You're perceptive," was all that was said as Sana turned and continued walking. This wasn't enough, Isane was too curious now.

"So you admit it. You are different now then you were before."

"That's nonsense. It was me the whole time, just not the real me." She was beginning to walk faster, and despite long legs Isane was having trouble staying at equal pace. "Though I'd be surprised if you did, do you remember my name?"

"It's… it's Sana."

"All of it."

"I don't think I was present if you did say your whole name. I'm sure you were too busy trying to kill me to tell me that."

"Suriasona... Sana Suriasona. It's just a nonsensical word; my real name is simply Sana. Like several others, I do not have a surname. Ichigo named me that before I became an Arrancar. He said it was made of several different words made into one; a fitting title for someone like me." Her voice sounded almost sad. Maybe Sana was opening up? Maybe she was simply remembering out loud, Isane didn't know or care, her curiosity was piqued. "I had a different name once; the other Hollows threw it like a curse. I was the Trickster. An actor skilled enough to trick even the mind. My power, by its very nature, is trickery. All the words that make up my surname inevitably mean 'to trick.' Now you know, so stop being a pest."

"You knew Ichigo before… how long have you known him?" Sana had spoken her fill, and Isane's question was met with silence. They continued for a few minutes, the silence broken only by the occasional rumble and burst of spiritual energy from surrounding fights. What few Arrancar remained in the Fortress were in heated battle against the Shinigami forces.

Retracting her senses back to herself, Isane could only hang her head. She had at the very beginning thought it foolish to assault Ichigo's fortress, especially seated so deeply within Hueco Mundo. Now, the chaos had spread like a dark cloud over her senses. So strong was it that even captains were vanishing from view. So absorbed was Isane in this that she didn't notice her guide had stopped until she had bumped right into her. "Ow… why did you-"

"Ssh." The lieutenant shut her mouth, waiting for the espada to speak again. "I smell blood… lots of blood. And I sense something."

"What?"

"… Juna." She was gone, vanished into a flash step so quickly Isane had only a second to react. She followed, but was already losing ground. This was obviously no trick, the fifth espada was fast. Racing through halls and doors, rubble piles and broken walls until finally the two of them came to arrive at the most massive of all corridors. "I sense her, she's here... somewhere close"

"You said she was already wounded, how could her spirit energy be so strong for you to feel it from so far away?"

"Call it maternal concern." The joke was lost as Isane turned her eyes to the hall they had arrived in. She stared at the pillars, larger than any of the others they'd seen. The walls were three, maybe four times as wide and the ceiling could have been mistaken as the sky. The sense of enormity this place conveyed was not surprising, it was terrifying. "I know you're here! Come out, give me the girl and maybe… MAYBE, I'll let you all live!"

"What is at the end of this hall?" The lieutenant was in her own world, her question falling on deaf ears.

"Cowards! And you were all calling ME a monster!" There was a shuffling from the shadows and hidden places, murmuring could be heard along with the slow sound of swords being drawn. "I made a promise; give me the child and you may all go! You have my word!"

"We've seen what you can do, Arrancar! We know you have the lieutenant enthralled… if she is even there at all!" Four warriors leapt into view, weapons at the ready. Their eyes visible through the rectangular slit of their masks; it could hide their faces but not their fears. Sana could see in their eyes they were very much afraid.

"I gave my word, Shinigami. You can have your lieutenant, you can walk away. All I want is the child. Do it, before my tolerance wears too thin."

"A fair offer, if even from an Arrancar… but we don't have the little brat anymore. She ran that way," he said as he pointed into the gloom of the hall. "Let us take Lieutenant Kotetsu, and we'll have no quarrel."

"No." All eyes fell onto Isane as she started walking the same direction as the warrior had pointed. "My work isn't done. Sana, what is that way?"

"… That's the way to the throne room. The center of the Fortress." There was no point in hiding anything. What dwelt in the throne room was by far more than all these Shinigami combined could possibly handle.

"I sense a powerful aura… a captain… no, two. One of them is hurt… badly." It was Isane's turn to vanish as she took off down the giant hall. Sana just watched her go, shaking her head in minor frustration. She turned only her eyes to fall upon the Shinigami still holding their weapons against her. Bold, but idiotic. Still, she had given her word.

"Get out, all of you. Go back to where you came from before you get yourselves killed. You will get your chance to fight again, I guarantee it." It was almost a surprising sight to see the leader hesitate for a moment before nodding to his followers. A blink of the eye and they had fled, Sana had already covered half the distance in catching up to Kotetsu. One more step and they were neck and neck. "You understand that if you go into the throne room our deal will be nullified. I owe you my life, but I can't fight against the ones who reside in there."

"I would not ask you to try and defeat your own kind; I only wish to help mine."

"That isn't what I meant. The weakest in there could take me apart without a second thought. Those numbered three and lower by far supersede the other espada in power. It's like we barely exist when placed next to them. You go in there; you put your life on the line."

"As is my duty." Isane might not have seen it, but Sana grinned at that statement.

"If you weren't a Shinigami, I think I could come to like you." Sana pressed herself a little more, taking a fair lead as she came to the doors of the throne room. They were ajar, and sounds were coming from within. Immediately upon entering, Sana felt as if she had been struck in the face as a wave of spiritual pressure pushed against her; the center of which was a pillar of spiraling light where the throne had once been.

"Captain Ise!" The scream came from Isane as she tried to push past her espada guide. Sana saw why she had cried out. The captain in question was lying face down on the smooth floor. Grabbing the lieutenant's arm before she could rush in, Sana held her back almost by grip alone. "Let me go!"

"It isn't over." The espada's voice was strangely empty, as if she was more focused on something else than she was restraining the lieutenant. A thin, womanly figure strode out of the fog filling the throne room and came to a leisurely halt. "Second Renovar, Tia Harribel." The dark-skinned woman didn't even notice the two newcomers as she stepped to the side. A flash of movement was met with a backhand as the Renovar sent her opponent flying into the wall with punishing force. This time, Isane succeeded in pulling away from her restraint, rushing to this new victim's aid.

"Captain Matsumoto!" She slid to a halt by the wounded captain, almost immediately beginning her healing arts. "Just lay still." There was no response, the woman was out cold.

"How touching," a silky, chilling voice spoke out from the swirling fog. A lanky shape could be seen in the center now, four tendril-like wings adorning its back. "I must say, your loyalty is admirable… facing even death itself just to come to the aid of another. It's marvelous to see such futility. But alas I can't let you do that, you have something I need." With a snap of his fingers, Szayel split the tornado of glowing mist and revealed himself in his fully released form. The throne had completely disappeared, now only four rods remained, each one resonating with the powerful spirit energy that twisted like a whirlwind.

At that moment, Isane watched in surprise as her healing spell simply vanished. She suddenly felt so heavy she could barely keep herself from falling flat on her back. "It is such a treat to watch you Shinigami boast and taunt, inevitably falling prey to those you look down upon from on high. It would be such an interesting endeavor to learn the truth behind such reckless ego."

"That's enough, pinky." Sana's voice was loud, her tone forceful. Even Harribel turned her head to stare narrowly at the fifth. "You've had your fun and games."

"And what is this? The one among us all who hates Shinigami the most now moves to protect one? How fascinating."

"Don't you go and analyze me like some worthless animal. I said stop it… now." Lifting his hands, Szayel simply chuckled as the fog rejoined around him. Isane took a deep gulp of sweet air, gasping several times to fill her lungs. She hadn't even noticed she'd been holding her breath. "Good, now tell me where Juna is. I can sense she's here somewhere."

"Juna? How would I know where you keep your servants?" Though her face was calm, a drop of blood fell from Sana's clenched fist onto the floor. "Keep track of your own better and you wouldn't have to ask such questions. Best take it to mind, it is not every day I give out such helpful advice."

"You son of a…" Sana stopped dead as Tia held her back. "So you're just letting him insult us all?"

"There is a time for everything." The two of them held gazes for a few more painful seconds before Sana slowly nodded her head. Passing by the fifth, Harribel strode to where the second captain had fallen. The silver-haired lieutenant had fallen back; unable it seemed to even move. Only her eyes shot to stare right at the Renovar as she knelt. She gently placed a hand on the captain's shoulder and pulled her to lay on her back. "I feel as if I should know this face…"

"She lost against your fraccion during the Winter War." Every eye capable of moving turned to stare straight at the source of the voice. Ichigo was simply tightening the chain that held his sheath to his waist, and still his presence alone seemed to overshadow the storm of spiritual pressure spiraling through the throne room. "I take it that now is the time to leave. Judging from the looks of things, I think an hour was a bit exaggerated."

"The fortress is almost aligned, Lord Kurosaki," Szayel said with a strange tone to his voice. "A moment more and the transformation will be complete." Two more figures could be seen moving through the fog towards where Ichigo stood. Ulquiorra towered over Fade's lithe, though diminutive form, but it was obviously noticeable that her presence pushed almost as much as Ichigo's. The Renovar all began to take their places, each one standing on a circular marking etched into the floor.

"You all weren't going to leave without me, were you," Noel chirped as she slid to a halt in the same circle as Fade. "I don't want to miss all the fun."

"Is that what we're calling it now?" The voice drew an almost unnoticeable smile on Ichigo's face as Nelliel stopped a few meters outside of the pattern of circles. "I would go with you all, but I think I'm better needed here. I found someone more appropriate to take my place." Waving a hand to her side, Nelliel ushered a much shorter woman forward. Rukia fixed her own sash as she set her zanpakutou firmly into its place.

Ichigo held a stoic expression as Rukia came to stand in the shining glyph next to his. "Are you sure you want to do this? I won't make you go."

"Will you stay?"

"This is something I have to do. I swore I would take it to its end, no matter what."

"Then I'm going with you. Don't think you're getting rid of me so easily. Besides… I have my own reasons for going back." Ichigo could do nothing but nod. He wasn't about to argue, such an attempt at debate was destined for failure before it began; and last thing he needed was Rukia stomping on his head. Panning his gaze around the different glyphs, the former fifth squad captain made eye contact with each and every one of his allies.

They had fought together, suffered together, and won countless battles with nothing more than their own wits and strength. Now, for all that blood and sweat and hopeless drive for the future… they had finally arrived at the road's end. He knew he could say something, he wanted to in fact. But, there was nothing that needed said. Everything he wanted to convey went out in such a simple gesture as locking gazes for a moment. Even Rukia looked ready as her lieutenant came to stand by her side. Taska was worse for wear, but her expression was resolute. She wasn't even making the attempt to hide her true arm now.

Ichigo clenched his fist, feeling the white orb in it turn about in his grip. He knew what needed to be done. He knew the stakes, the risks, and the chances of actually succeeding. It didn't matter if he used what had once been known as "Aizen's Legacy." It was thanks to such an unremarkable little bauble that he could come so close to this point. This one moment he'd waited twenty-five long years to arrive at. It was no longer Aizen's Legacy, not now.

Lifting his hand up, Ichigo released the Dark Hogyoku and let it hover over his palm as it began to pull the swirling fog into it. Like the clouds of a hurricane swarming around its eye, so did the orb absorb the ambient spirit particles, glowing brighter and brighter until it was like a tiny sun. There was a deep clicking sound as some giant mechanism spanning the entire fortress moved itself into position. With a great rumble each glyph began to rise from the ground, taking with it those who stood upon them.

The roof overhead parted, letting the bright moonlight shine down into the throne room as the pillars rose high and higher. Surrounding the moon were dark, churning clouds as lightning parted the black sky every few seconds. Ichigo's glyph was now the only one that had not begun to rise as he watched the storms. "Szayel… do it." From where the former Night Lord stood a brilliant beam of radiant red energy blazed up into the sky. It hit the clouds, pushing them aside as it began to grow wider and wider in diameter. Closing his fist back over the white orb, Ichigo's pillar finally began to rise towards the burning sky as the wall of red light approached him.

"Two days… only two more days and I'll bring a fight to the Shinigami like no other has before me. So many saying I'm out only for vengeance, for hatred. This is deeper than that. This is more than just justice, this is the righting of wrongs." Lifting his other hand up, Ichigo opened it and stared long and hard at what it held. A gold coin, the lens from a pair of glasses, and a snowflake hairpin. Just looking at them could have boiled the blood in his veins. "Never again. Not once will Soul Society ever again be allowed to do what they did to my friends and family. I swear it."

The red light burned all the brighter, becoming too radiant to even look at as a final, powerful pulse shot through it into the sky. It reach the end of the column of light and burst, raining red sparks down as each and every pillar surrounding where the throne had been crumbled. It was done. The swirling mist, the red beam, all of it gone in an instant.

As she watched, Sana had felt a sinking feeling. She wished she could have gone, but there were only so many that could be sent. Only the most powerful had that privilege, and it was their right to join the final crusade. "Finally, after so long, our deal has met its end," Szayel's smooth voice echoed through the room. Sana flinched as he spoke, slowly looking down to see one of his long tendrils jutting from her stomach. Her mouth silently fell open as blood dripped from the wound onto the ground "I have for so long waited to return the abuse you've put me through, you little bitch."

Snapping like a whip, the tendril sent Sana flying against the wall with a wet smack. Nelliel barely had time to turn as another struck her in the face, sending her careening through the outside wall. "Without your precious Kurosaki here to protect you, I can finally have back what was once mine! Unfortunately, you won't be around much longer to appreciate that. Too bad."

The same bloodied tendril slithered around Sana's neck and dragged her back towards Szayel. In his released form, Szayel had the advantage. As it lifted the fifth off the ground, a second tendril wrapped around the gauntlet on her arm, pulling it off. "You won't be needing this anymore. I've had enough of your tricks and your mind games. You've had everything go your way since you got here, but the tables always turn. So, I'm going to make this as painful as possible; that much I owe. Please try to stay conscious, otherwise what fun will this be?"

From the throne room, across the great hall… through the whole fortress rang a single sound. The tortured scream echoed deep into the desert before silence fell once again.


	26. We All Fall

**Oh my god, can it be. Yeah, I know... late as always. One chapter a year just won't do... not at all. But i won't go into expressive detail, I did something different for that. Check out this youtube URL _(/watch?v=qz2IcupFyCk)_ to get a bigger scoop on my absence. And so, without stalling any longer, here is the next chapter of Betrayer's Vengeance.**

* * *

It was nearly over. Captains lying in seeming utter defeat. Ichigo's purpose fulfilled, and the energy pillar he and the Renovar had entered vanishing. Far from the battle, all this came as one long chaotic flood.

The technology and information division in the Seireitei were scrambling about their headquarters in a panic as they tried everything in their power to offer what aid they could to the battle. "Captain Komamura's life signs are dangerously low!"

"Captain Hinamori's are the same, we can't allocate any more spirit energy!"

"What is happening? We can't push through anymore?"

"Something is interfering with the transmissions! Whatever it is, the interference is sapping Captain Matsumoto and Captain Ise of every bit of spirit energy they have! They were right at the source of the spiritual overload, then it just absorbed their reiatsu like a sponge!" The technician's fingers flew across her console, but the more she tried the less results she received.

The flood of energy on her screen was cutting off their link with the warriors, and was gaining momentum at that. "It's feeding off the captains like a parasite!"

"Can we cut through?"

"I'm trying! It's almost like it's alive! Every adjustment is circumvented!"

"Damn it! We've already lost three quarters of the assault force, and now the captains are being crushed through simple attrition! Come on people, we have to do something!"

"Lieutenant, we just had an energy spike outside district 80 north."

"The Rukongai is not a priority, focus on the battle! Up the transmission strength, give our captains everything you can!"

"YES SIR!"

* * *

The swirling vortex of energy finally subsided, but only in appearance. The force of it was still present, and overwhelmingly so. The throne room had fallen silent, captains and arrancar alike could only stare as the repulsive form of Szayel's resurrection stepped away from where the spiral had been. "How truly priceless this day has been. To think Soul Society would be so foolish as to dump into my lap the very fuel I required." Lifting his arm, he held something at a distance, like someone would a piece of fetid garbage. "And this... I have had my fun with this."

The espada tossed Sana's ravaged form to the ground. Her legs had been ripped from her body, an arm literally twisted so many times it barely had structure, and her hollow hole had been torn wider. She was barely more than a pile of bloody meat. But still, her bloodied eyes were wide open and ragged breaths hissed from her lips. "I must admit, your endurance is commendable. Even after sealing your pathetic spiritual aura you still retain enough to survive. All for the name of what? What do you fight for, Trickster?" The only response was a growl. "Well so be it, she is useless anyway."

With a flick of his hand, Szayel dropped Sana's unconscious fraccion to her. With her only good arm the fifth caught Juna and cradled her small form. "I find no taste in finishing either of you pathetic excuses off. There is no need to dirty my hands with the blood of the weak. I have what I wanted, once again this fortress and all its power belongs to me. The only force that could possibly challenge that is gone. As far as I am to be concerned, all within its borders belongs to me."

With only a turn of his wrist for Szayel recalled the throne from the floor. The last Night Lord, the remnants of Sosuke Aizen's arrancar followers, was seated in what was once his. "With Kurosaki finally gone, there is nothing left to challenge me! For the remainder... shinigami, arrancar, it matters not. All bow, or die. There are no other options."

"I bow... to no one!" A voice cried as a bladed cord shot out straight at Szayel. He leisurely reached out and snatched it from the air, still grinning as he tossed the weapon aside. Captain Ise was back on her feet, retracting her shikai. "If Kurosaki had you held in such fear, then what holds us back from crushing you as well?" Her weapon snapped like a whip again, this time winding around one of Szayel's tentacles. It folded over and held the cord tight. The ring about Nanao's finger her weapon was connected to immediately pulled taunt, trapping her in the espada's grip.

"You barely have the energy to stand, and still you fight. Haven't you a mind? Years I spent testing reiatsu, perfecting my knowledge of its curves and streams, ways and methods through tireless study. I designed a device that consumes it, redirects it. As I said before, shinigami or arrancar... it makes no difference. While within my domain, you shall all BOW!" A sweep of his arm sent a purple wave of energy crashing out from the throne. Nanao was practically dragged to the ground by it, her knees cracking the stone beneath them as her eyes went wide. Matsumoto, awake but only just, quickly rolled over and covered lieutenant Isane's unconscious form as she too was smashed to the ground. Her hands and knees dug into the rock, but she kept the dark force from doing to the silver-haired girl what it did to the captain. Spiritual pressure so intense it mutiplied upon gravity itself. It was a wonder lesser beings could even survive it.

"You cannot even abide by the notion. Years and years this structure has stood, absorbing the energies of Hueco Mundo; of those who lived within it. With the Dark Hogyoku, a device of my OWN design it was given the key to completion. Only a being of such raw, unbridled power as Kurosaki Ichigo could master it. So I was forced to obey. Now... things are different. I never wanted power... but once I have it, I don't think I can easily let it go."

With a snap of his fingers, Szayel resealed Nanao's zanpakutou. All she could do was stare dumbfoundedly at the sword in her hands before a white tendril wrapped around her neck. Lifted from the ground, she grabbed at the offending limb, but it was already wound tight. "The lot of you are far lesser warriors than your predecessors. Your own even succeeded in killing me more than once. Not that such things hinder me, but it did give me time to think. To ponder the flow of shinigami energy took patience, but it most certainly did me justice. Nothing you do can even touch me now, and no one can help you." It was his intent to break her spirit, and by the look he received Szayel knew he was succeeding. "Nothing can defeat me now, much less fools like you."

"You should think twice before speaking, coward." A silky voice growled as an emerald blur shot past from behind the throne. Szayel's eyes didn't even follow as the tentacle that held Nanao was severed from his body, and the captain fell into waiting arms. Neliel caught the shinigami and lowered her carefully to the ground. "Ichigo warned against you. I above all knew your treachery was only a matter of time."

"Then what, you want to have your try at me as well? You should know how little a threat you pose." All eyes were on the pink-haired espada as within seconds his severed tentacle regrew. His regeneration was almost instantaneous. "With this much power, I could regenerate from a single cell, and you think you stand a chance? Even if I had not analyzed every iota of your spiritual signature, the thought is laughable. You do not frighten me, Neliel tu Oderschvank."

"You talk too much, Szayel." With a single sweep, Nell's sword was in hand. "I had hoped for your redemption, Ichigo gave us all that chance. But I see your heart is as black as ever... if you even have one at all. Declare, Gamuza." For a moment, the room was bathed in green energy, bright as the sun filling every corner. But, as the light died down, all there was left was laughter. Neliel collapsed to the floor, her sword still sealed and her breath ragged.

"Idiot. I've seen your release enough times. You think I couldn't stall it, or even negate it altogether? In fact, I have something even better." Another wave and a cloud of smoke exploded around Nell's body. Once it had passed, all that remained was a tiny form. Szayel just sneered as he watched the child teeter back from him, saucer eyes taking in her surroundings, then herself with growing look of horror.

"But... Itsygo... he..." the familiar lisp accentuated the result of Szayel's display. Neliel looked at herself, and found once again to be bound in her near infant form.

"He may have fixed your mask fragment, but it won't help you. Nothing can, no one is left that has even a prayer. Give up, surrender... and maybe you can all live to watch as Soul Society crumbles. And after that... well... I guess we can all use our imaginations." Turning to face the viewing screen, Szayel grinned as he adjusted the eye-piece he wore. "And do not think that simply because you are invisible, you are also undetectable... Hinimara Avarii. I know you're here. Racing to aid your companions no doubt, equally laughable." A simple finger snap and within the span of an eye blink there was yet another arrancar in the room. She was leaning against the far wall, eyes cast to the ground and arms crossed. In fact, she even appeared as if pouting for being discovered. "I am surprised you did not leap to the defense of your best friend. Isn't the fifth your counterpart?"

"You speak as if hollows should care for one another. Our partnership was one of mutual power and aptitude... not friendship. You of all among us should know this as one of the original espada." Her voice was cold, her gaze icy as it fell on Szayel. "I already know you've seen my resurrection before. I know you can cancel it out. I know if I try, I will fail. As far as I am concerned, there is little I can do here but watch."

"Ah... your words speak truth... but your actions speak otherwise!" Whirling around, Szayel held up his hand as three white blasts nearly struck his back. As if surrounded by a bubble, the cero incognito pushed against the barrier, slowly but surely digging through the defense. "What is this? You have been holding back, dear Hinimara. You are in resurrection right now, aren't you? You have indeed learned a trick or two from your 'friend.' What a deceitful little farce."

Another finger snap and a blinding flash filled the room. The leaning form against the wall melted away as a tall, winged outline appeared kneeling over Sana's mangled body. Her head shot up, still only a silhouette as the three beams of energy curved around Szayel and punched straight through her torso. The light faded, and Hinimara's true form faded back into view. What little remained of her chest smouldered, her own attacks doing their deadly work on the wrong target.

Not even flinching, Hinimara launched herself forward, her body no longer incorporeal as the cero attacks had shown. All Szayel needed do was lift his hand and the espada stopped in her tracks... floating in mid-air. "You are as much a fool as the others. I already said, none of you even stand a chance. I know your every power, your every weakness. You most of all harbor a dark secret, and the greatest weakness of all. Let's see what's behind that mask of yours, shall we?"

His hand entering Hinimara's hollow hole, the only opening in her chest not smouldering. Szayel took hold of something and, amidst a shriek of pain from his victim, pulled his hand back out. A simple wave of his fingers sent the espada hurtling back against the wall. She struck and bounced off to slam down to the floor on her knees, still somehow partially upright. But, while everyone watched, her resurrection began to melt away, cracking and splintering in the process. Like a liquid of pure white it fell away from her, revealing normal skin beneath. A few seconds passed, and the ravaged body of a normal arrancar was left where once was the powerful angel.

Fighting once again to her feet, the espada spat a mouthful of blood as she teetered. She took one step and stopped, looking down at shaking hands as there were only three perfectly circular holes smoking in her chest. The hollow hole had closed. "Ah... so that's what you were hiding." Hinimara's gaze followed the voice up, her face twitching as if fighting to understand.

What... did... you do?" The woman's eyes rolled into the back of her skull as she collapsed. She landed beside Sana, facing towards where the captains had fallen. They both stared at her, bewildered looks upon their faces.

"I gave you what you wanted. I removed this, and returned you to your original form. That has always been your wish, has it not?" Szayel held up the glowing shape, seemingly made of pure white light. After a few seconds it solidified into a solid object; a mask with a cross cut into the center. "Though I fear I may have also removed the regenerative factor that was keeping you alive. What better to die in the body you were born in? It's oddly poetic."

All eyes were fixed as Yadomaru Lisa, in her true form, laid still. Blood dripped from her eyes, nose, and mouth as all that held back the damage to her body failed. "Now... if there are no other distractions. I do believe I have one last task set before me." The Night Lord placed his hands on the arms of the throne, and the entire fortress began once again to grind to life. "With the final step of Kurosaki's ignorance, our own agenda has reached fruition. How the simple-minded, no matter the ferocious power, can be aimed to whatever goal I desire. That is the very reason I designed this great machine you call a Fortress."

The captains couldn't even move, totally drained of their power. A dying espada, another revealed as a woman already thought long dead... and a child. None able to even lift a finger. Hope it seemed had finally faded. Szayel had considered every angle, prepared for any eventuality. He had had decades to ready himself, and his time had finally come. No one was left standing.

**-BOOM!- **The thunderous sound of the throne room's doors being launched from their hinges shook all with a vicious force. The stone doors, each so thick and impossibly heavy only an espada could open them alone were sent like pebbles skidding and rolling all the way to the far wall where they punched through to fly out into the desert beyond. Standing where they had been, a familiar man cackled as he approached the hopeless scene. "Hey! Jackass! Forget somebody already?" Grimmjow's snarl of a voice echoed through the great hall as he stomped inside. One hand was in his pocket, the other held his zanpakutou ready. "You know... I have hated a lot of people in my time. Ichigo once even... but you. Pink-headed, arrogant, snot-faced, four-eyed, pathetic excuse for an arrancar. Try picking on somebody with a pair, you son of a bitch."

Szayel's eye twitched as his face twisted in rage. His hands squeezed into fists as he turned to fully face this newcomer. "You DARE insult me? I could crush you in a second! You who cannot even deal with a single shinigami captain think you can admonish ME? I AM GOD HERE!" His expression of rage was turned by slight confusion as howling laughter filled every corner of the throne room.

Grimmjow had turned his head up in guffaws as he took another step forward. "A god? You? Wow... what a dork. You think because you have a big battery, arrogance, and a fancy vocabulary you can just flaunt like a peacock? Didn't the last god of Hueco Mundo get killed off by a big fat guy? I mean, come on. The tenure sucks. Now... I think it's about time someone kicked your ass." The second mas lifted his sword up in the ready, but his eyes suddenly turned down as something tugged at his pant leg.

Gwimmdow... dun do it... pweaz." Nell's face was pointed up at him, tears pouring down in cascades. "He's too stwong. I dun want you to die... pweaz dun go." For that moment, that single second... Grimmjow's guard fell as he kneeled. His free hand came from the pocket to reach for the small child, for Neliel in a form he had not seen her take in years. In that single moment, Szayel pounced.

He did not use the power afforded him, or the abilities of his resurrection. He aimed his clawed hand at Grimmjow's head and charged. The sonido burst let him cover the ground in a fraction of a second. There was nothing standing in his way, even one as strong as the second espada would die from such a blow. The final obstacle would be removed, and things would be as they should.

The flash of white that filled his vision did not come from anything more than the skull-crushing blow that nearly collapsed his face in on itself. Flying backward, Szayel's tentacles were ripped from the ports in the floor as he bounced and skipped to a halt an impressive distance from the scattered warriors. With a snarl he leapt to his feet, expecting to see Grimmjow's smile and fist held up... he didn't. A look of absolute shock found its way to Szayel's features, even before he could suppress it. Though the shock quickly gave way to rage.

Standing there between him and his intended target was Sana. She stood tall, offending fist clenched as she simply cracked her neck. "I was wondering when you'd do something stupid. I should have cursed at you if I'd known it would rile." The Night Lord's eyes shot to where he'd left her mangled torso, but saw only the little Juna. The diminutive fraccion sat cross-legged while watching like a schoolchild in lesson; her body not even showing hint of injury. "I have to admit, you really did hurt me. But to think you would just toss me aside without a care... insulting. You actually make me miss the company of shinigami. They don't **always** underestimate their opponents."

"How..." Szayel's expression immediately hardened as he answered his own question. "High speed regeneration. It isn't possible, your organs were in shambles. Nothing can repair so much, and in such a short time. You are not even in a released state. You think this illusion can trick me? I have had enough of these facades!"

"Was that pain just an illusion? Was my fist hitting your beloved face a trick?" Sana tore off what little remained of her last sleeve, dropping the ragged fabric. "You gave me all the time in the world while you prattled on about how amazing you are, and all the distractions were just seconds more it took to put myself back together. You think I am an espada because of my looks or a few childish pranks?"

"It doesn't matter! You have no more chance than any of the others! I know everything in this place, have seen all there is! There isn't an arrancar or shinigami power I cannot unwind. I know your tricks, and knowledge is control. It always will be!" Despite the twisted grin, Sana knew what he was hiding. He had not been expecting this, and he was afraid. She smiled back at him, but her own expression held no malice. It was an honest grin as she took hold of one of the zanpakutou that had fallen from her sleeve before.

"I believe you refer to my skill in using the swords of my enemies. Yes, I can use the weapons of shinigami..."

"And that power is useless here!"

"Then so be it. I've made up my mind. Poor Neliel had held a branch out for your redemption and look what you did to her. Her kindness is what kept me from tearing you apart all these years. I have never been able to stand you, Szayel. Your very being sickens me. Now... you have outlived your usefulness and Neliel is in no position to stop me." That sweet smile she held only compounded the viciousness of her words. Sana meant business in the most bloody, ruthless sense.

"And you think you can? You are just like the others, resurrection or not, you will fall." In the blink of an eye, Sana's mirthful face turned to steely determination. Her legs spread, arms held apart and ready. The very aura of battle exuding from her. The time for talk was rapidly coming to a close.

"Let me tell you something, Szayel. You have had enough time to speak your piece, now is mine. When I finally relented and allowed Ichigo to turn me into an arrancar, I did so with an oath. I was never to use my resurrection unless absolutely necessary; when there was no other choice. Just as the original espada were forbade from their own releases within Los Noches, he warned me from mine. I may be the fifth espada, but we were never numbered by power. We are numbered in order of which we became espada. It is a date, not a rank." She pulled the sword in her hand from the stone and pointed the tip at Szayel, staring down the blade right into his eyes.

"But... this is your..." His voice broke as he stared at the gauntlet one tentacle held. "This is your zanpakutou!" He shouted, shaking the arm-piece like as if proving a point. Then it hit him, visible realization marking over him like a bad taste. Just another trick. That's all she was, tricks and tricks and more tricks. When one unraveled another took its place. For all his boasting, he still fell headfirst for her illusions.

"Szayel Aporro Grantz. If we had numbered ourselves as like the originals... I would be wearing something entirely different." She showed off the large 5, and her eyes widened in an almost manic gaze. "There is only one espada who has ever truly been my better, and knowing you fell for every trick I played proves it. For all your self-proclaimed superior intelligence, you always were incredibly dumb." She lifted the zanpakutou in her hand to point straight up, grabbing her shoulder as she did so. "Curse, Scura Volpadea!" And then... there was only fire.

The force of the spiritual release spread like a shockwave even beyond the fortress, tearing over the desert sands like a hurricane. Bits of stone and debris rained down, shorn from the buildings like paper through a shredder. Rising high from the roof of the fortress to pass beyond the clouds was a pillar of flames. A raging inferno swirling like a tempest. When it finally died down and collapsed in on itself, the entirely of the air was littered with ash.

Back in the throne room, no one spoke. What eyes could turn stayed fixed on the creature standing in a crater blown into the floor. She stepped out, but instead of feet canine paws found purchase on the stone. Thick tails twisted and flitted behind her lithe form as Sana lifted a hand and flexed her fingers, showing off the curving talons. "I want you to know... I hate this form. Too many bad memories. But if it is what I need to use, then so be it."

The last Night Lord glared menacingly at the visage of deadly beauty before him. She was taller, her hair longer, the jacket replaced by a sleeveless vest to show off her muscular arms and vicious claws. But it was her face he couldn't break from. The ear-like fragments were gone, there was no sign remaining of a hollow mask at all. Her eyes, burning with an inner fire, were cutting right through him. The tattoo-like marks falling from them to her cheeks seemed to glow, and the similar marks along her arms did so in the same fashion. Her very essence radiated energy hot as the sun, but he was not about to be deterred. "You think this changes anything? You think I can be turned just from a show of simple spiritual force? Resurrection or no, you cannot change what fate has given me."

"You're right, Szayel. Nothing has changed, it never did. Grimmjow, Juna... remove the wounded from here, please. I don't want to cause any further harm." The static buzz of sonido jumps came several times, and in seconds the room was vacant but for two. "It has come to this, and the fight you started all those years ago will find its end."

"I will kill you. You think I can't? You think just because you are in your true form you stand a chance? No force of strength or cunning can stop me! I am a god!"

"That's where you're wrong, Szayel. I'm sorry, but this has to stop here. I've been hiding my real spiritual pressure for so long it's burning me from the inside out. You said that even from a single cell you could regenerate. Well... I guess that means I can't leave anything behind." Her arm slowly raised till her fist aimed squarely at Szayel's heart. A very placid expression still painted Sana's face, so much that it disturbed even her target. "Goodbye."

Her fist opened, fingers spreading as a torrent of fire so massive it hid the source blazed without hesitation from Sana's hand. There was barely enough of a moment for Szayel to raise his arms as the inferno engulfed him. From the outside, from as far as the fortress could be seen, the explosion of flames caused by this attack could be viewed as it tore half the structure to pieces. With a single blow the entire fortress was shaken to its core.

It took only seconds, and soon the great machine in all its entirety began to collapse. All from a single blow. Sana Suriasona had awoken.


	27. Sea of Flame

**Alright, thank you to Grinja for bringing this up. I'm going to do an excruciatingly long Author's Note. Don't worry, there is an actual chapter somewhere in this... I would like to apologize that it took me so long. Some time ago I had to be rushed to the hospital, where I've spent a while recovering from massive internal bleeding. Turns out i Have an autoimmune disease, and it's a bad one. The road to recovery is going to be a long one, but that doesn't mean Vengeance must suffer! Thanks to you all for your support.**

**OC rundown**

_**Mas Espada – Plus Blades**_

_**3rd – Noel**_: The hollow, and subsequently arrancar spirit that was once Kurosaki Karin. She retained the memories of her original identity but her personality has warped considerably. Now a sarcastic, forthcoming, and even vicious warrior. She has the power to absorb and use any form of kido magic used against her. A number of other Espada show obvious fear of her powers, but they have not yet been fully realized.

_**4th – Hinimara Avarii**_: Yadomaru Lisa's inner hollow given physical form. The process left both minds in tatters, and the result was an amalgam of the remains. Hinimara has a deep-seated sense of honor, and abounding loyalty to Ichigo, even following him to the death if necessary. She is master of both sword and cero attacks, able to bend the energy to home in on her enemies. Despite her number she is the weakest of the Mas Espada.

_**5th – Sana Suriasona**_: Arisawa Tatsuki was one of the few spirits from Karakura's destruction to be dragged into Hueco Mundo. There her soul became a hollow known only as The Trickster. Ichigo found her and gave her a name, only discovering who she truly was after imbuing her with shinigami abilities. She is able to bend the spirit auras of those around her with illusions and general trickery, but this itself hides her true power. Once unleashed, she is a force to be feared.

_**Renovar Espada – Restored Blades**_

_**3rd – Fade Snowbourne**_: When Kurosaki Karin's spirit was dragged into Hueco Mundo, she did not go alone. Yuzu too was pulled into the twilight realm, and the resulting being became Fade. Calculated and observant, Fade only acts when absolutely necessary. While she only seems to draw her sword when desired, her spiritual presence alone is often enough to ward away the unwanted. She follows Ichigo's lead, but has obvious doubts as to the deeper meaning. Her true power has never been fully measured, but she seems capable of spiritual heights nearly rivaling Ichigo himself.

_**Fraccion:**_

_**Shin and Shun**_: Nearly identical twin arrancar serving under Noel and Fade. These were assigned fraccion, and have somewhat little interaction with their overseeing espada. Shin and Shun are rarely separated, unless they are playing. The twins love to play games, and are often getting into trouble because of it. Both were killed when a 2nd division assassination team led by Daibaru Kayami hunted and disposed of the fraccion in the shinigami assault.

_**Juna**_: Sana's beloved fraccion. She is actually the spirit of Arisawa Tatsuki's unborn child, a fact Sana is aware of despite not even knowing who she once was. Shy to a fault, unsure of herself, and almost completely unable to finish a sentence Juna seems to be everything an arrancar shouldn't. That is until she puts her mind in the game and proves able to match even espada in speed, and has even harmed Sana with a single cero attack.

_**Shinigami:**_

_**Shinataya Taska**_: Rukia's former lieutenant who still follows her. Taska was rescued by Rukia many years before from the Rukongai when her spiritual presence became noticeable. It was almost immediately apparent Taska's aura was far different then normal shinigami. And when her abilities blossomed it was discovered why. Taska is in fact a hollow hybrid, nothing like a vaizard or arrancar but a true hybrid of the two, with the abilities of both. Not even she knows her own origins, but Rukia helped hide the hollow side of her lieutenant behind gigai parts and aura suppressants. Now the tall, imposing, and unnaturally strong Taska serves Rukia with unflinching loyalty. Now if only she could keep up with her exceedingly faster captain.

_**Daibaru Kayami**_: A vicious and ruthless shinigami who once served in the assassins sect of 2nd division. She revels in death and inflicting it on others, and her zanpakutou shares this desire. Unfortunately for her this overconfidence became her undoing, and she was killed at the hands of Hinimara Avarii.

* * *

"GET DOWN!" It was a whisper compared to the roar that overtook the meager group. The blast blew over the shelter, ripping stone and mortar apart as it passed. Grimmjow held his ground as he pressed his back against the wave of flames. His eyes were clenched in concentration, pain obviously wracking his body as he held back the inferno. He was able to just barely open an eye as he saw the shinigami with their hands up, ribbons of energy rising from them to form shields. He couldn't complain, they were so weak the force walls held back barely any of the flames.

"Grrrrr..." His voice grated as the fire finally subdued. All eyes were on Grimmjow as he held his head high. The power of the blast rendered him shirtless after using his back as a shield, but he still stood tall as smoke drifted off his wounds. "Alright... that hurt." He mumbled, collapsing into the rubble pile and leaning back.

"What was that?" One shinigami asked in a demanding voice. Grimmjow just glanced at her and rolled his eyes. "I thought she had the number five on her... but that... what the hell was that?"

"Dat wath ethplained." Nell said as she patted Grimmjow's leg as he let out a long breath. "Itsygo gave uth numbuth wen we doined him. Thana wath numbuh fife." Holding up her tiny hand, she showed off the number. But all she got in return was confused looks. As Grimmjow sat down he just growled.

"Idiots. She said Ichigo gave us numbers when we joined the strawberry brigade. Sana was the fifth. Doesn't mean she's the fifth strongest... dumbasses"

"But thee ith powahfoo, more dan me un Gwimmdow."

"Speak for yourself, pipsqueak." He flicked the fragment on the child's head. She just pouted at him, but didn't say anything. "And why did you make me save a bunch of shinigami. I thought the idea was to kill them." Looking down Grimmjow saw tears in Nell's eyes. Not the normal, massive rivers that her tiny form would erupt in, but small petite tears. His scowl immediately softened as he sighed, and with a strong arm Grimmjow embraced Nell and glared up at the shinigami. "Mind your own fucking business."

But only one still even watched. Ise Nanao had something else that had taken her attention. She simply stared down with a blank expression as she held Yadomaru Lisa's head in her lap. Her breathing was ragged, but she still lived. "I'm not skilled in healing kido... you brought her which means you still have use for her. If you can heal, do it."

"Still have use? Oh I get it... that's what you think of us, shinigami bastards. You think I would leave a comrade alone to die in a mound of rubble? You make me sick. We're not animals... I saved her because she's my ally."

"Gwimmdow, your back ith gettin better." Nell patted it as the espada stood to his full height. "We need ta go."

"You go. I told that pink-headed piece of shit I had it in for him and I'll be damned if I go back on my word." With a grunt, Grimmjow stood to full height and swung his zanpakutou a few times for good measure. Confident of himself again, the second espada turned his eyes to the silent one. It was Juna, all about her the discarded zanpakutou that had been left in the throne room. She turned her head a little to meet Grimmjow's gaze, but didn't hold it. "I'm going. Nell, do what you can for Avarii... Lisa.. whatever the hell her name is, and make it fast."

"Concern? From an espada?"

"Don't test me, shinigami. I always return a favor owed... and it seems I owe just about everybody these days." Leaping up out of the rubble pile, Grimmjow slid down to a halt. His feet were on a slick surface... glass. The force of Sana's spiritual energy had melted the sands. The moment he did, his eyes fell on something that stopped every thought and movement. Standing there, watching the far battle was Toshirou. "You..."

"You plan on joining the fight?" His voice held the same unnerving chill despite the aggressive heat.

"Something you should think about doing once in a while. I thought you were Kurosaki's best friend or some bullshit. But then, you never were one to get your hands dirty."

"My actions are my own. I will be returning the shinigami left alive to Soul Society."

"I thought the whole point of luring them here with the whole 'we have tons of espada' fuckabout was to keep them away from Soul Society." It made Grimmjow even more angry that despite standing right next to him, Toshirou didn't seem to want to look at him. The very nerve now with such a statement...

"One dead captain... others either severely injured or completely drained. What difference do you think it would make? Even if they were all in top shape, really... I will do my duty as a former captain, not to mention return the stolen zanpakutou to their rightful owners. After that, my task will be complete." Turning around, the former boy captain made his final walk through Hueco Mundo.

"Glad to know we could always count on you, standing on the fence like that. Now I see the kind of people Kurosaki put his trust in. Shinigami... pieces of shit the lot of you."

"And you think his trust in you was well placed?" Toshirou had a toothy snarl mere inches from his face in half the time it takes to blink.

"Think all you want of me, frost-breath. Ichigo is the only living thing that has ever given me an ounce of respect. I don't give a damn how you see it, or me. I'd die for him, and even then it wouldn't be enough to repay the shit he's gone through for me. Half the scars he has that should have been MINE. If you don't have the balls to do the same, then fuck you. Go home... rot there."

"Your loyalty is refreshing, Jaegerjaques. That much can be said without doubt." Grimmjow was already gone.

* * *

"What the hell are you?" Another blast of fiery spirit energy splashed over the circular shield like molten steel. "Something like you shouldn't exist!" Szayel swung his arm and let fly a powerful purple beam. It struck its target head on, but with a simple wave of her hand Sana dispelled it. He fired another, and this time she simply stopped it with her hand and kept walking forward, the large beam offering zero resistance. "Just DIE!"

"I've had enough of your voice." Stomping the sand in front of her, Sana bent forward as several of her tails extended and sped towards her enemy with missile-like precision. He met her assault with his tentacles, wrapping them around the tails like shackles. He wasn't even given a chance to prepare as Szayel took the brunt of a full-body jab straight to his stomach. The force alone lifted his feet off the sand as fire erupted from Sana's fist.

He didn't even feel the impact with the ground, every inch of his skin was in agony. This wasn't some technique she was using. No special ability or trained focus. Her very spiritual aura was flame. Just by releasing her presence she created firestorms that rivaled hurricanes. He skid to a halt, a trail of broken and cracked glass left in his wake from the heat. Szayel couldn't even make a sound as he was stomped deeper into the desert's embrace by Sana's paw. "Can you see why I hate my true form so much? Do you understand why I hide? Can you imagine what it's like the turn everyone and everything around you to ashes just by relaxing? No... I don't think you can."

She lifted her leg and stomped again, driving him even deeper. "How... for so many..."

"You aren't omniscient. It was simple to mislead you, your arrogance made it too easy. Now, removed from your source of power, you are nothing more than a fool. And I..." Picking Szayel out of the sand, Sana brought him very close as she whispered, "I am a beast." She held on still as more of the ferocious spiritual pressure surrounded them both. Szayel was bathed in flames, his cries of pain overshadowed by a thunderous roar. When they finally subsided, his clothing was in tatters and his skin charred, left to drop to his knees as his wounds smoked. "Fire is the curse all things fear. Nothing can abide it, no force can stop it. When I release my blade, I give up all pretense of trickery and facade. When I show myself for what I really am, I have devoted all my being, all my soul into one thing. The utter and complete annihilation of everything that stands in my way. No tricks, no playing of fears or illusions. Only flames. Only total destruction."

Sweeping a foot back, Sana brought her hands forward and spread her fingers, tongues of flame like solar flares spread out from her palms as an orb of white hot fire began to grow. "Now... self-proclaimed God of Hueco Mundo! Defend your throne!" Her hand ignited as she readied her next strike, calling its name with an echoing cry. "Infernum Absola!" Pulling her hands apart, Sana had an orb in each one and began to swing like a pitcher, launching ball after ball at her target. The projectiles flew like bullets, and each one caused an explosion that sent sand and glass flying clouds-high.

Szayel leapt and dashed like a madman as he dodged the barrage, somehow finding the strength to stay one step ahead of death. He fought to control the spirit energy healing his broken, burned skin and insides. He had fallen for one too many taunts. Let himself get pulled down into a fight on his opponent's turf. She wanted him to try and use his own strength to battle, he could see that. This wasn't how he fought, and why he had allowed such plebeian thoughts to delude his new found power was a mystery. One last illusion by the master.

He shot into a sonido jump as a white orb shot past his head, erasing a large dune as Szayel increased his distance. He knew it was fatal to try and make a copy-doll of the other espada. She would burn him to ash in a second, no matter how much he tried to deny that fact it was inescapable. She was releasing so much spirit energy just in presence, not even counting these death orbs she launched like without any hint of spiritual loss. So much energy, and it was bleeding more and more with every moment. "Just like a growing flame. This will require a change of strategy."

"Terra Eruzione!" A pillar of fire suddenly exploded from the ground just where Szayel was about to run. He skidded to a halt just as dozens of white bolts of fire rained down from the molten obelisk. Right as he turned from the display, she was there. A fist crushed through his spirit field, impacting Szayel's face and almost shattering his cheek. Two swift blows to his chest and stomach blew the wind and focus from his mind as Sana grabbed his head and drove it down into her knee with impossible force.

He tumbled back, arms swinging wildly as he tried to blunder through the pain. Just being near her made his skin hiss, his blood boil. She was like no spiritual force he had ever seen. So many years near her and he hadn't a clue. "Where are your strong words? Where is your confidence? The man who had only minutes ago been so arrogant as to think he had been master of all he saw." Sana strode up to where Szayel tripped, falling to his back as she stood over him. "The one who thought physical harm would stop me?"

A purple blast shot from Szayel's mouth, smashing against Sana's hand and spreading like water over a breaker as she held the deadly energy back. "It's useless, stop trying and accept your fate."

"Fate? HAH! Fate is simply an illusion, just like you." Shooting out from underneath Sana, Szayel skid to a halt and faced off against the fifth. "I have no doubt these flames are real, but you... you are the fake. Always hiding behind something, it's pitiable. I will never accept a fate bestowed on me by another!" Lifting his hands, Szayel began to release black droplets into the air. Steam wafted from them as the heat continued to boil the air, but they spread nonetheless. "You are right, I will never be able to overcome you on my own. But you have forgotten, I was one of the first espada! I have seen and tasted the powers of ones far superior to you! I need not battle alone!"

The droplets all suddenly compacted into two amorphous forms. The liquid twisted and turned as a pair of figures began to take shape. Sana swept her paw through the sand again and readied herself as the figures took real shape. She narrowed her eyes, set her jaw and stared as two new warriors had taken the field. "I might not have the power to beat you, but I know many arrancar who can without any trouble! I have seen their auras, and now... now I can bring them here!"

A beam of bright light surged out from the forming masses. Sana batted it away, but was immediately hit in her chest by a second, sending the espada flying back. She dug her paws into the sand, kicking up massive trails through the ground as she slowly slid to a halt. When she finally stopped, she looked down at the smoldering hole in her chest as it closed. Her gaze drew upwards as flames licked from her eyes, two figures approaching through the haze. She bared fang as the first appeared, a towering black nightmare with a skull's head crowned with bones. The one who had attacked her stepped forward, twirling weapons around his fingers as he took a stance ready for battle, pointing the devices at her.

Neither was familiar, but their spiritual presences were undeniable. "Behold, Suriasona! Behold your doom! The former first and second espada... in the days when those numbers truly meant power! Starrk, Louisenbairn... destroy her! Put her out of my misery once and for all" The fur-coated arrancar charged, his weapons pointed forward as cero shots began to blaze out from them at insane speed. Sana twisted and shot into the air, spinning like a top as the shots passed above and below with just enough room for her body.

Just as the arrancar aimed again, a tongue of red fire exploded from the ground, missing by mere inches as his coat was caught aflame. With a sweep of his hand the gunslinger extinguished the fires, but as his attention returned to his target he saw her fist raise. "I will not be dissuaded by phantoms. Perish." The blast that was released from Sana's knuckles produced several rings in its wake from the very act of its release. The sound like a volcano's eruption sounded as the beam was met by a blue return from her target.

The two cero attacks met and for a moment seemed to hold steady against one another, only for more and more blue blasts to streak towards the fiery espada. All it took was for her hand to open, and the entire sky suddenly changed. The tight beam from her fist expanded so rapidly Sana was hidden behind it, a cero of such immense size it fought to consume everything around it. The energy washed over the opposing forces and took not only the gunslinger, but Szayel and the crowned one too. Even as the light faded, sparks and embers wafted through the air from the blast as Sana lowered her arm. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed, almost seemingly at ease as the smoke began to clear. "Not enough. I see this will not be so easy as I first thought." She looked up again, and saw three shadows through the fog. "So these aren't just puppets I see... not completely. But to use one like a sword, and the other like a shield. You have no imagination, Szayel."

The fog cleared, and the crowned one lowered his skeletal hand. He had somehow nullified the cero, not entirely unexpected. "In moments their spiritual auras will synch again, and they will be just as they once were! It took many captains to challenge the likes of these, surrender now and maybe I will kill you quickly." The broad sneer over Szayel's face was infuriating, but Sana simply smiled herself. The temperature in the air immediately began to skyrocket.

"So be it." Bringing her feet together, Sana spread her arms out and lifted her head. Her entire body was instantly wreathed in flames as her three tails spread... then split. Six tails twisted and coiled like snakes behind her as she began to bring her hands forward, the fires about her growing hotter and hotter by the second. Hundreds of feet below, the sand began to hiss and crack as the heat seared the dunes. Within seconds, nothing but a molten lake sat below. The light of the moon was now nothing more than a husk, Hueco Mundo had been given a sun.

A dark orb surrounded Szayel, Louisenbairn's power protecting them from the heat. Even still, The master watched with wide eyes. This was a follower of Ichigo? This was a creature who kneeled to Kurosaki? This beast who could turn the very ground to liquid just by her presence, a soul of pure fire. There had always been some trick, something hidden beneath her. The purpose of all the illusions, the manipulations... no logical argument could confide in it simply being a shield for such monstrous power. Though, in the end, he watched the very sand of Hueco Mundo boil beneath his feet.

He watched as Starrk charged again, the husk form filled with the former first espada's spiritual aura attacking with relentless abandon against the fiery woman. The two clashed, cero meeting cero and blow for blow. The light from their attacks blinded as they danced high above the molten lake. "Do not let her spirit energy reach us," Szayel growled to the former espada beside him. "I can feel her growing stronger by the second." The skeletal face simply let out a low hiss, holding the decaying power strong around them as the lake beneath them roiled and crashed from the ensuing battle. "Wait until her defenses lower, and then strike her. For all her power, she can still rot. I want to watch her flesh melt from her bones."

Another clash ripped through the sky. Sana caught a cero in each hand and stopped them dead as she fought to hold her ground. Just as she was raising her spiritual level, so were each and every cero she had to bat away. For having a very singular attack style, this former espada was powerful. She shot higher into the sky, dodging beams as they streaked past, keeping one eye locked at all times on the fur-coated combatant. A single thought and she sent a wave of intense energy down her leg as light began to grow at the tip of her paw. Blocking another group of beams gave her just the right opening as she swung her leg wide. Her own cero spread like a fan as it tore over the sky, blowing away the remaining blue shots as the gunslinger had to dive away.

Swiping her paw back, Sana just scowled. "This is getting me nowhere. Heightening my spirit level is just giving them more power as well." Setting her teeth, Sana suddenly turned her eyes to the side as if noticing something. Looking back to her opponents, she grinned and again set into a combat stance. "Szayel, are you so scared to fight me that you have to hide behind these husks? Fight me!"

"I won't fall for that again, Suriasona. Your death is assured, and I can live quite happily with that. The odds are still against you."

"Not exactly." Whirling away, Sana dodged a green blur as it blazed right through the spot she had been standing to impact the gunslinger's stomach with enough force to fold him in half. Nell uncurled from a little ball and looked up at his face, her mouth wide open. The red blast that erupted from that gaping maw consumed all of her victim's upper torso, and the explosion sent out a huge flash.

Szayel covered his eyes and cursed as the shock wave passed by, blowing back his robes and kicking ash all over him. Rubbing the substance from his eyes, he could only stare as the glow slowly diminished. Standing beside Sana was a sight that made Szayel almost crack his teeth in rage. The fully released form of the second espada, Grimmjow had survived the Fortress's collapse. On his shoulder sat the little gremlin, smiling as she rubbed a hand through Jaergerjaque's wild blue hair.

Sana on the other hand simply regarded them both with a glance. "I could have handled it."

"Not without turning the whole damn realm into a molten pit. Besides... I made a promise and I'm gonna keep it. I keep my word, remember?"

"Yeth! Gwimmdow un me can fight!"

"Szayel didn't seal pipsqueak's spirit level, only condensed it. Figured we'd use that a bit to our advantage considering how hard I just kicked her and it didn't even hurt."

"Nell ith a cannonbaw!" Sana just grinned as one of her tails wrapped around Nell's waist.

"That may be true, but I would much prefer to have three allies, not two and a projectile." A pulse of light shot down the tail and engulfed Nell within it, shining like a star for a few seconds until it finally faded. The light's passing revealed a much taller form then it had begun with, and Nell stared at her true form with a placid expression. "You forget, there is no creature as adept at spiritual control as I."

With a swift flourish, Nell's sword came out and bathed the three in green light. "Declare, Gamuza!"

Sana raised her arms, sending a pair of fiery cero streaking out as Grimmjow charged, his eyes wide with excitement as he homed in on his prey.

* * *

Watching the heat plume from far off, Hitsugaya uncrossed his arms and turned back to the survivors. So many had perished in this attack... so many wasted lives. A captain and a lieutenant, dozens of officers... all for a trick. All for a battle that began years past, from an order made by the man Toshirou had trusted the most. He had lived long enough not being given the chance to make right that day. "How long until the doorway is open?"

"The passage here was complicated enough," Captain Ise snapped. "I am working as fast as I can. It does not help having an arrancar watching me."

"Juna is harmless. Matsumoto, carry the 4th lieutenant. I will take Yadomaru." Turning to the child-like arrancar, Toshirou approached as she looked up at him from her seat. "I would appreciate if you returned Haguro Tonbo. Its owner would like it back."

"Are... are you..."

"Yes, we're leaving. I'm returning to Soul Society where I belong." Reaching over, Juna took one of the swords Sana had dropped and placed it in Toshirou's hand. "Thank you." He turned just as the shining door began to open. Right as he leaned to pick Lisa up from the ground, he heard Juna again.

"Swords won't help... you know... he's better." It made Hitsugaya stop for a moment, then continue towards the door.

He reached it just as a huge form landed hard next to the group. Komamura fell to a knee as he growled in pain, but it was a momentary lapse as he stood again. Cradled in one huge arm was the bloody form of Captain Hinamori. "Is she?" Matsumoto began to ask, but Komamura shook his head.

"She is gravely wounded. I'm sorry, I could not locate Abarai or the third scout group."

"We don't have the time to worry about them anymore. Time has become gravely short. Let's go." Toshirou snapped as he stepped through the door. Nanao just glared at Rangiku, only to receive a shrug.

"Still giving orders. Once a captain always a captain it seems."

"I'll have him in bonds before his feet touch the ground."

"Your funeral." The other captains collected the remaining wounded and vanished into the doorway just as it closed. Juna watched, then again turned her gaze back to the far battle.

"Yes... it will be."


	28. Finishing What We Begin

**My apologies again for taking so long. It has been a very uphill battle against my disease, which has made life and work very difficult for me. I've had two more trips to the hospital, and am awaiting a transplant. Still, I found some time to read my favorite Bleach mangas and they gave me the umph to get the last arc of my fanfic up and going. Thank you to my readers for sticking with me through all this crap.**

**Also, apologies for any... offness with this chapter. Some of it was written while i was higher than all hell on painkillers.**

* * *

It was as peaceful a day as it could get. For the first time that week there wasn't a fire hanging in the distance as Suzami washed her family's linens in the creek. The roaming vagrants were bad enough, stealing and destroying as they went. If the Tetsuwan gangs rolled through her small corner of the district... it wasn't worth thinking about. Best to simply enjoy the peace of the day as she finished her chores. Somehow her little brother had managed to stain every single one of his casual robes, such was the way of small boys.

Tightening the cloth holding her hair, Suzami sat back a little and sighed. Her knees were beginning to hurt from resting them on the ground, but she was still only halfway done. A short break would be nice, just to enjoy the cool air and clear sky. There was a scent in the air... something wafting just enough to be noticed, but she couldn't quite place it. Looking down, Suzami's eyes widened as she saw the water of the creek begin to ripple. Not from something being dropped into the water, or from her... but the entire surface of the water was rippling as if the ground were shaking. Despite that, she felt nothing.

Then the wind came. It nearly drew her with it, making Suzami cry out in surprise as a whirlwind of great force formed in the clearing behind her. It was like being pulled and pushed at the same time, and her chest heaved from the effort just to breath as everything was bathed in light. Blinding white glow filled the clearing, blowing the trees back as there was a tremendous crash... and after that silence. Suzami had been thrown into the creek, the linens she had been cleaning floating all around her as she stared blankly at where the light burst had come from.

She had been alone... but now there were seven figures all standing in a circle. They were dressed in white, and they all had swords. Suzami immediately knew shinigami when she saw them, only their kind wore such regal clothes. Tearing out of the creek, she quickly ran to them and bowed low, hoping and praying they hadn't seen her in such a ridiculous state before. Her parents had told her if ever shinigami appeared, they deserved the most absolute respect, lest to be angered.

She peeked slightly, seeing only one was actually looking at her, and with a sideways glance at that. The others seemed to be focusing their attention on the tall, orange-haired man as he dropped to his knees. "Ichigo!" One cried out as she grabbed his arm, holding him from collapsing.

"I'm okay... I'm... it takes more out of you than I thought it would."

"You're bleeding!" The one assisting this "Ichigo" commenting as she pulled him back to his feet, but it seemed he had serious difficulty staying up.

"And we're not alone," a young woman's voice, the one with the sideways glance, spoke up, "and she's bowing." The woman approached, coming to stand right in front of the girl. All Suzami could see were brown locks of hair that hung just so far into sight. She gulped, fighting the urge to start shaking. A hand rested under her chin and pulled her head up slowly. "A resident spirit?"

"Fade... that's enough." The orange-haired man seemed to have trouble speaking, but he made his point. The hand pulled back and the woman just turned away without so much as a word. Suzami knew she had to say something. She was making herself out to be a fool!

"Hon... ah... Honorable shinigami!" She flinched, lowering her voice. "Honorable shinigami, I am Asagari Suzami, welcome to my home. Forgive me, I did not expect to see you, and am in no state to offer greetings." There was silence again.

"She thinks we're shinigami... that's sorta funny. Definitely a new one for me, good thing we didn't bring Sana. She'd have thrown a fit." A snickering voice spoke up, the black-haired girl who was dressed just like the first. She was suddenly right beside Suzami and took hold of her robe, lifting the poor girl right off the ground. "And now that she's seen us, what do we do to her?"

"Noel..."

"Not that I doubt those morons in the Seireitei know we're already here... but no chances, right?"

"Put her down," the woman at Ichigo's side hissed, her eyes steely. "Now." Suzami was dropped in a heap.

"Whatever, not my problem. I could go with some proper competition anyway."

"Asagari Suzami... I am Kuchiki Rukia, Captain of the Thirteenth Division." The woman spoke again, and Suzami's heart practically stopped in her chest. She couldn't keep from shaking now. "You are not to speak of anything you saw or heard here. We were never here, am I understood?"

"Y-y-y... yes... my lady."

"Gather your things and return home. Go." Without a moment's hesitation Suzami dashed to the creek, snatched the wet clothes out and ran back towards her village. All eyes watched as she ran, regarding silently as the girl disappeared into the trees. "We must be outside the Eightieth District. The spirits here either try to kill you or worship you, shinigami rarely if ever go this far anymore."

"Things have changed." Ichigo muttered.

"Yes, they have," Rukia responded as she eased him down to a seated position. She checked the bleeding wound on his chest carefully, keeping her fingers from the actual injury. "You should have told me this was going to be dangerous, Ichigo."

"Only for me. I handled it. That's all that matters. Now I just have to recover and we can do what we came to do."

"A day and a half." The silky voice of Ulquiorra rose as he inspected the surrounding trees. "Your words, not mine."

"Until then we lie low. I don't want a battle bleeding out into the Rukongai where it doesn't belong. I came for the Seireitei, and that's it." Setting Zangetsu in his lap, Ichigo let out a slow breath as he spoke to the group. "I trust we all know what the final outcome will be?" All the arrancar gave a curt nod. Rukia on the other hand knelt beside Ichigo and looked right into his eyes.

"I said I was with you to the end. I meant it. I'm with you, no matter what we have to face."

"Me too." Taska smiled faintly as she rested a hand on the hilt of her sword. "Where my captain goes, so do I." For a moment, Rukia thought she saw a smirk cross Ichigo's face, but it remained hidden. He was likely focusing more on keeping his wound closed seeing as it was centered where his hollow hole would form.

"I keep my word, the deadline will be met. How Soul Society spends its time is on them."

"The distraction in Hueco Mundo probably dealt a fair blow," Taska said as she came to stand beside where Rukia sat.

"That was not its purpose." Now Ichigo had the full attention of Rukia and Taska.

"What?"

"If I had wanted to simply wipe out all the shinigami, I wouldn't have gone through the trouble of just luring some to Hueco Mundo." This time, Ichigo really did smile.

"So you do have a plan."

"Sort of."

"Are you going to share this plan with me?"

"Not even all of them know," he motioned to the arrancar all about, "I'm not trying to make this hard on any of you... but right now not even I trust that it's going to work. I'm a bigger fan of the 'battering ram' philosophy. But we'll see." He looked right into Rukia's eyes and smiled warmly. "We'll see." Almost as if a switch was flipped, the smile suddenly faded. The same scowling glare came over his face as Ichigo rose unsteadily to his feet. "One thing is certain... I'm not going back on my word. Once my deadline is up, I will be unleashing everything the shinigami have earned for themselves upon them."

He looked at Rukia, expecting her to argue. He expected the same stubborn resistance he always got from her. To even his surprise, as she stood she rested a hand against the hilt of her blade and nodded. "Long overdue. Come on, we should leave before a trace of that spirit release brings scouts. What better place to lay low for a day than the Eightieth District." She looked back and smirked at Ichigo's face... he was honestly surprised. "Don't forget... you aren't the only one that was played for a fool, Ichigo. I have my own debts to settle behind the walls of the Seireitei. Now come on, we need to find something to hide these uniforms."

"Already took that into account." Taking hold of Ichigo's arm, Rukia helped him to his feet and the group moved in the same direction as where Suzami had run. The arrancar all looked at one another, and it seemed as if an entire conversation took place silently. It was Fade that took the first step as she moved to follow, immediately followed by Tia. Noel and Ulquiorra watched, then the taller espada moved on as well. Flicking the tip of her hilt, Noel just grinned as she chuckled to herself. "This is going to be fun."

* * *

Rushing through the front door of her home, Suzami dropped the basket and fought to catch her breath. The meager shack had only three rooms, and the first was empty. If she was not so winded, Suzami may have found that odd. Her family usually gathered there, but it was vacant. "Mother! Mother, you would not believe what I saw!" Suzami rushed into the second room, a kitchen more or less... that's where she halted. Her blood nearly froze in her veins as she saw just exactly who was waiting there. Her family only had a few cushions to sit upon while eating... and all were occupied by armed men. All but the last, a woman seated haphazardly with a long sword rested against her shoulder. Each and every one adorned with the mark of Tetsuwan, the uncontested rulers of the whole district.

"You told us there were no other females here, a daughter to makes things all the better." The woman growled. Suzami watched her father grimace. She knew exactly what had happened without even having been here. They had hoped her chores would have kept her away long enough, but now she had made a liar of her father before the worst of the worst. "You swore, and yet here stands a young girl. What would you have me think of this?"

A simple wave of the woman's hand and Suzami suddenly had two burly men grabbing her arms. She shrieked, but went very quiet when a blade pressed against her throat. "We do not appreciate liars and fools. We ask very little of those that live and work amongst the homes and villages we are gracious enough to provide. I see that once again an example needs to be made. Take her." The men dragged Suzami with them, tears pouring from her eyes as she saw the looks of horror on her mother and father's faces.

"Wait! No, please! Take me, please! Don't take her!" Father begged but a simple backhand from the woman launched him against the wall, leaving him to collapse and gasp in pain.

"You are the one who swore you had no daughter. Why is she any concern of yours. Spirits cannot even have children, she is simply another soul and no relation of yours."

"She is as much our daughter." Father growled as he glared up, the fear gone from his face.

"Then maybe I'll return her... if she's still alive." The woman stood and adjusted her collar before slinging the sword. The rest of the men were already leaving and she had no further business in this house. Walking to the doors she shoved them aside and walked to the dirt street, head held high. Many eyes were on the young girl held tight in the clutches of the woman's henchmen, while all others were on her. "To all of you and your blissfully ignorant lives... why must you test us again and again. We have been fair enough to you, we have given you the freedom many districts are without. Yet, you still disrespect and underestimate us with every turn. Once again I am forced to make an example to you all."

Looking to her henchmen the woman nodded before turning back to the masses. "May this be our final warning to you all." She turned to the street and started off, but not before issuing one final command. "Do what you will with her." The scream that followed fell on deaf ears as all but the lead woman watched as the poor girl's clothes were ripped from her.

She watched as children were rushed from the street to protect their eyes from the scene as it unfurled. Futile... this was the farthest from any authority one could get. Their lives would be one violent day after another, there was no protection from it. Just like the young girl, they too would be torn to pieces by the world fate had landed them in. There was no fighting against the strings that tied each and every one of the pathetic fools to the wheel of life. Just as the Tetsuwan ruled here, so did fate rule the wheel. Both were undeniable, and that was the way of the 80th Districts.

A sound, loud but muffled like a gagged shout. At first the woman dismissed it as the girl, but her mind instantly reanalyzed, that was male. She whirled around just in time to leap out of the way as a fully grown man skidded across the ground with enough force to send him into a well, obliterating the entire thing before falling down the hole. The woman's eyes narrowed to match her scowl as she saw a very tall cloaked figure standing over the young girl... and hanging with his feet off the ground one of her henchmen was in the intruder's clutches.

The man stabbed at the arm holding him with a knife, but the blade didn't even penetrate the cloth. The figure shot its head forward and crushed it against the henchman's in a brutal headbutt. The man was dazed just long enough to be lifted high in the air and turned onto his side. He had gained just enough sense to shout in fear as he was brought down onto the figure's knee, snapping his back in two. With a casual toss the stranger dumped the body like a sack of garbage.

Suddenly there was another figure, no movement... it was simply there. This newcomer easily blocked the charge of another henchman and with a fling of the arm sent him through a wall cannonball-style. All the rest were drawing weapons, advancing on these interlopers, but with a sweep of her arm the leader halted them all. "Enough!" She drew her sword and pointed the blade straight at the ghostly figures, not even their faces were visible behind the thick cloaks. "Who in the HELL are you?"

The intruders looked at one another before the second stared straight at the leader. For a single moment, she thought she saw a turquoise glow emanate from the darkness of the hood. An eye... perhaps, but the coldness it imbued was enough to send a shiver up the spine. "Doesn't matter, kill them!" The order was met by two dozen shouting men drawing swords and knives as they charged.

The figures remained stoic as the Tetsuwan henchman closed in. The first raised a hand, the white-colored glove contrasting with black cloth fingers spread as each tip began to glow. The next three seconds were filled with light and shouts as observers dove for cover. Men went flying, smoking holes burned into their clothes as bolts of energy burst out from the figure's fingertips. One had actually found some way to close the distance without being struck. With a roar he lifted his katana over his head and brought it down with punishing force on the shrouded attacker's head.

His entire body spasmed as his blade shattered, the bones in his hands cracking from the recoil. He didn't even reach the ground when another hand shot up and grabbed his face. He barely gave a shout before a resounding "CRACK" filled the air. The limp body dropped, his skull utterly crushed. Now, all that was left was the leader. She shook slightly, her hands gripping her blade more tightly than they ever had. Her eyes couldn't follow their movements, and they had powers unlike anything she'd encountered before, and she had faced down shinigami. "The boss has got to know... this is bad," she growled to herself.

With a quick sidestep the woman landed a solid kick into the nearest man's stomach and dashed past him into the shack. She knew every spirit in this section of the district, and found exactly what she was looking for. Within moments she emerged back onto the street, tucked in the crook of her arm was a small boy, struggling to remove the iron grip she had on his neck. "Okay, so you're both pretty good. I know when I'm outmatched, so here's the deal. I go without a fuss, and the little brat doesn't have to make a premature journey to the great beyond."

The figures glanced at one another again before the second slipped a hand into the folds of its cloak. Drawing it out, a sword was in its grip and was brought to the ready with a simple sweep. "I mean it!" The leader shouted her warning, the child writhing as the pressure increased.

A sudden blast of air and the woman jerked, her arms going limp. The spot where the second had been was empty, only a rising dust cloud marking its absence. She just looked down as the child took off, but more focusing on the blade emerging from the center of her chest. Crossing several dozen feet, getting behind her and running her through in less time than she could blink, the woman couldn't help but feel impressed. "My boss... he's going to look for us. He's going to try to kill you when he finds out."

"He will fail." That soft, chilling voice... his words were like ice to her soul.

"Why... what the hell do you get out of this?"

"I have learned that the ones who rule through fear are no better than the same trash that rule through force. It is not your place when you are only strong through numbers." Before she could say another word, the blade rose and took the woman with it. She gasped in pain as she was lifted off the ground, her ribcage crying in protest. The man swept his arm to the side and sent her rolling through the dust and filth of the street. With another swipe he cleaned the blood from his sword and replaced it within his cloak. "I missed every vital organ you have, that would not be a fatal blow. Others will be the judges of your fate. I have little care in what they decide."

The man and his companion both turned and began a march along the street towards the inner districts. All eyes watched them go, no one making a move... as if they were cemented in place in the presence of such warriors. The crowd all in unison turned their gazes to the woman dragging herself to her knees before them. She lifted her head and eyes met with a pair stained by tears. Suzami held the tattered rags of her clothing about herself as she stared at the woman who had just minutes before gave permission to her violation.

The staredown did not last long as a fist impacted against the leader's head. The man she had kicked knocked her back to the ground as the crowd descended upon her. Suzami refused to watch, this was not something she wanted but neither would she stop it. Such was the way of the last district. She had another objective instead, running past the growing mob and catching up with the cloaked figures. "Wait, please!" Both stopped and turned only their heads to look. "Please, don't go!"

Suzami stopped at the first, the one who had saved her, and grasped the cloak pleadingly. "Please, kind warriors. Allow my family to thank you for what you did. I would have been killed if not for you. Your kindness has given us at least a fraction of peace, so please allow us to thank you for it." The cloaked head turned, the darkness inside as complete as ever.

"There is no place for us here," a strong woman's voice responded. "We are not welcome, and must move on."

"But... what you did..."

"What we did was simply remove obstacles that would stand in our way." The man spoke in almost a whisper, his words no comfort and his voice chilling.

"That is what you must tell yourself. Were we to stay, much danger would befall you all. It is not our purpose to bring darkness to those who do not deserve it." The same black and white gloved hand emerged and set itself on Suzami's head. It did not even register that this hand had just crushed a man' skull like a rotten fruit.

"After what you did, what would we have to fear? Those men brought enough terror, and they are all dead now. If you left, they will want to take revenge."

"We have purpose elsewhere, girl."

"Not for another day." The woman seemed pensive, looking to the horizon for a moment. "What better place to remain in wait than one fraught with violence?" The head turned and regarded the other. "Do you agree?"

The second just stared for a moment before turning his head back towards the village. "If I am left be, then very well. I will abide your curiosity with the locals. Such is your way with the downtrodden." Suzami beamed as she took the woman's hand and almost dragged her back towards the village.

* * *

"They don't act like what I remember. They're... more human."

"That's because it's been years since you encountered them, and it was momentary when you did. As Nell would say, 'the years have changed us all.' Or something like that."

"She was referring to you in particular, you know."

"Yeah... I'm one giant life-adjusting roller coaster. Everyone changes when they hang around me." At that Rukia grinned and tugged slightly at the collar of her cloak, the hood still down.

"Were this another time, I would be worried just... letting them roam. But frankly, I've lost track of who I can trust and who I should watch these days."

"You trust me?" Ichigo put a hand on her shoulder, feeling her slip her fingers between his.

"More than anyone. You're the only person who's every cut some sense into my head... literally."

"Then I promise you, none of them are in danger. They know what they're doing, as for us... it's time we moved on. Noel, Fade..." Two heads turned at the summons and regarded their leader with placid eyes. "You know what to do when the deadline hits... go." They both nodded before vanishing, the ground where they had stood pockmarked from the force of the sonido.

"I know it isn't for us to worry, but I can't help but think back to Hueco Mundo. The captains left there..."

"It isn't them I'm worried about," Ichigo said with a distant sound in his voice. He set the long stick he was using for a walking staff hard into the ground and began the trek towards the inner districts. "But that's why I left Sana. She can handle herself... and just about everything else."

* * *

"Nell, CATCH!" The beam of light illuminated her face as the espada opened her mouth, taking the cero in just before dodging under a snarling, ghostly wolf. It took only a moment for her to let the cero go again, backed with her own to create an immense blast. The energy wave struck its target, washing over the shield surrounding Szayel like a flood. Just as the powerful purple light dispersed, two beams of fiery orange struck and began to drill against the dark barrier.

Sana gritted her teeth as she broke off her twin cero attacks and dove towards the molten sea below. "Terra Eruzione!" Four massive columns of magma shot into the air, following Sana as she shot back up and threw her hands forward, launching the attacks as if from a cannon. The streams of molten sand hit the barrier with enough force to send a shockwave to the sea below and clouds above. "Damn... as long as that barrier remains we can't get through, and he's free to recover any energy he uses..."

"You just gonna float there, or are you going to help?" Grimmjow roared as he planted two solid kicks against Starrk and a punch to seal the combo, sending the former espada careening through the air.

"As long as Szayel is safe, we aren't going to kill these shadows, we aren't even hurting them."

"Says you! That one had to hurt!"

"He's revitalizing himself. As long as the coward hides, his energy will return. Should he reach full strength again, he will summon more and more until we are too outnumbered to win... And I have noit just been 'floating' here!" Another blue beam shot straight at Sana, but she absentmindedly backhanded it away. Grimmjow on the other hand had to dodge when it was deflected straight at him.

"Hey, watch it!" He snarled before diving at his opponent again. It was Nell this time who came to rest beside Sana as Grimmjow took his turn again of occupying Starrk's shade.

"If we cannot get through to him, this battle will be lost. He does not yet use his full power against us. What say you, Sana? I see your mind turning circles behind those eyes."

"Something Ichigo is always griping about... how we always hold back? I think it is about time we made good on that advice."

"I would think Ichigo would like a home to return to as well."

"I've already destroyed the fortress just from my initial resurrection. What is left is melting. Besides, did you really think he meant to return? I think it's time we let go of inhibitions." Sana smirked, which only led to Nell narrowing her eyes.

"That's dangerous. If you-"

"All three of us," Sana interrupted. She just looked at Nell and grinned. "We are getting nowhere just tossing our weight around. Cero blasts, physical strikes, our abilities... all well and good but in the end they don't have the raw power required."

"You are suggesting something even Ichigo skirted. The same Ichigo who made it a habit of unleashing bursts of spiritual energy that can only be described as tidal waves."

"I know... doesn't it sound fun?" Both of them turned to watch the battle before them as Grimmjow and Starrk danced about the sky. "Besides, he's never seen any of them... and mystery is the best weapon we have against this lunatic." Grimmjow appeared beside the other espada just as Nell was about to charge. She hesitated as Sana shot forward in her stead.

Cero blasts tore through the air at her, but she moved with the same blurry fluidity, dodging or deflecting every one. She reached a distance close enough for the shade to strike at her, but his attacks never made contact. She ducked, and twirled about him to avoid the blow. "You _are_ stalling. The farther we get from Szayel the more lax your fighting becomes. It's only when we get close, when we are a danger do you actually give fighting us a damn." The mirror of Starrk remained as silent as always. "Well then, perhaps we can change your mind about 'distance.'"

A sudden eruption of light followed by a blast of wind blew over Sana as it spread from where Grimmjow and Nell had floated. Starrk covered his eyes for the single moment it was necessary for Sana to charge past him. "My attention was too split between attacking and defending myself. It's time that you had my fullest focus, Szayel."

She sensed her pursuer, Starrk aiming to fire on her from behind. It only made her smirk as she felt the intercepting blow fall. "Your guard has bigger things to worry about now, and I'm coming for you."

Starrk whirled about as he caught his footing, but was struck again before he could even defend himself. Before a third could fall both pistols came up, and the air was filled with glowing beams of light. "Not going to work," a voice hissed from behind as a punishing blow impacted against the gunslinger's side. This time he managed to spin around from the momentum to view his attacker.

Floating there was a lithe form, one that was at first unfamiliar. Had a fourth arrived to fight? Only when Starrk looked at the face did the shade's own expression change for the first time. It was Grimmjow, his once near totally white body was now covered in shimmering sapphire fur. What white still remained had grown more blades similar to those that had adorned his arms, and they gleamed fiercely in the glow of the molten sea. His headband was gone, above the furred ears now sat a jagged crown piece with ebony-streaked blue hair flooding out from it. But still, it was the face. Split into a grin that would have halted the gods, Grimmjow's face now bore eyes wholly black, not a flicker of color or life within them. A gaze that made even an imitation of life falter.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" The shade shot a glance to the side and vanished just as a spear-blade swung through the space he had occupied less than a moment before. The long pole twirled about and came to rest beside its wielder. Nell too had changed... her mask entirely gone but for the horns that now sprouted directly from her head. The goat-like body gone too but for the forelegs that now bore pieces similar to the armor upon her shoulders and hands; one of which now held a long-poled javelin, far sleeker than her last.

The both of them had changed their appearances, their very forms had been adjusted, even their auras. "I think we surprised him... that is you, isn't it Szayel? Bastard, fight you own battles for once."

"What... the hell. What is this?" Starrk spoke, but it was not his voice. The flippant voice of his controller was all that came from his mouth. Szayel was stuttering, not a common occurrence. "What have you done to yourselves?"

"Just as I thought, nothing more than puppets. I had clung to a hope, but that is no longer the case. Grimmjow, you can handle this one alone. I'll help Sana."

"Go for it." Nell vanished, and just as Starrk moved to fire at her he jerked. The arm that had moved to fire sprayed from from eight deep slashes, cut to bone. The former espada turned only to see Grimmjow's claws raking across his face. "You will have issue enough with me. You should be happy, Szayel. You pushed us to reveal this, and I hate ending things so quickly." Blue lights began to glow at Grimmjow's fingertips, and with a sweep of his hand the desgarron extended. Only, they did not grow to the normal, massive length; but instead glowed far brighter than ever before. "I had been saving this for when Ichigo and I had our rematch, but frankly I think it's better served on you. I promised I'd wipe that look off your smug face, and look what I've gone and done. You're not so smug anymore."

"Segunda etapa... it's impossible." The gunslinger swung his arm and another rush of ghostly wolves swarmed out.

"I love it when they say that. Makes it so much more sweet as I tear you to pieces!" The wolf pack struck all at once, but a sweep of the desgarron blades dispelled them all. "It's this easy! THIS EASY!" Grimmjow roared with laughter from Starrk's side, posing as if he had just completed a swing of his arm. The shade shivered as it looked down, staring at the stumps where arms should be. His head shaking as it looked to Grimmjow again, he stared into that grin. That horrible, crushing grin. "I have so many new ways of killing you to choose from, and I'm stuck with this pathetic excuse for a puppet. What a waste of energy. But, promises are promises. To be honest, I really hope you'll feel this."

The shade's mouth gaped open as Grimmjow's arm shoved straight through its chest. His other hand drew back before driving his claws into the ribcage. It took only a simple wrench of his arms and Grimmjow rent the shadow of Starrk in two. The bodyparts fell as the espada released his grip, watching them burn away in the molten sea. "Too damn easy. I could've won before, but instead doing this... what a waste of a good fight. But then again, a good view of one can be just as satisfying."

Leaning back, Grimmjow floated in a reclined position as he stared at the dark orb protecting Szayel and the other shade. Nell and Sana were simply hovering outside of it, watching as Szayel shot glances at them in a panic. He still gave off such massive power, and yet on his face was written the deepest of fears. Still, the two espada simply hung there, watching him.

"You think you can just wait there forever? No matter how much spirit energy you take, you're not a warrior. You use others to fight for you, and even then it is useless. Give it up, Szayel."

"Never! I have died before and overcome it. Even at my greatest defeat, forced to endure death for thousands of years to my eyes, I still overcame it! I will never just accept it! I had to grovel at that mongrel's feet to continue my existence, and look where it landed me! All the power of Hueco Mundo at my fingertips! I will not let you take it away!"

"You cannot stop us," Nell said in a low, almost ominous voice.

"Perhaps... perhaps not. But it is still the fact of the matter tha you cannot reach me within this sphere of decay." Nell lifted her javelin and let the pole rest in her hands. Szayel just looked at her, eyes narrowing.

"You have never seen these forms, therefore you cannot know their abilities. Who was it that proved to you that you are unreachable?" Before another word could be uttered, Nell flipped the spear up and pulled back her arm to throw. The blur of motion was followed by the static burst of the sonido, though only her arm actually moved. The act of the throw burned into Szayel's eyes as he watched the spear strike the orb, piercing it without the slightest hint of resistance. It struck the shade of the former second espada, and with horror written upon his face Szayel watched his last puppet fall to pieces from the force of the javelin's blow.

He spun, his tentacles flaring like wings to defend against anything. But to his continued terror he felt bonds wrap about his wrists and ankles, as well as the tentacles upon his back. Sana spun Szayel around to face her, each tail occupied with restraining him. "A master of spiritual control, and you are so full of energy it's almost bursting out." She approached him to the point that their faces were mere inches away. She spoke again, but in barely a whisper. "It was always to be this way. This is the way you were going to die, and this time there will be no coming back. Take solace in that."

Lifting her hands, Sana placed them gently on Szayel's cheeks and smiled. He blinked, this expression almost confused him. She was smiling the kindest smile he had ever seen on her face. "What... are going to tell me now that you pity me? Giving me solace in death, I don't need such an insult. Spare me your sentimentalism before it makes me vomit."

"Pity?" Her pristine grin instantly morphed to one of sinister glee. "Never... just had to trick you one last time. You're too easy, you know." The flames that consumed his body drowned out Szayel's screams. They lashed at his flesh, inside and out. They poured from his eyes, mouth, ears... his very pores as it ate at all that he was.

The fires continued for some time. By the time they had died down, nothing remained but ash in the wind. Grimmjow and Neliel stood beside Sana, all once again in their normal forms. "Well that's a hell of a way to go. Hope it hurt."

"That was a cruel thing you did to him. Those were his last moments." Sana just smirked at Nell, the glow from below giving the expression an eerie edge.

"What can I say? I am what I am."

"What now? All the gateways to anywhere are plugged and I'll be damned if I'm going to just sit around and do nothing. We cleaned up here... now what?"

"Grimmjow is right, what are we to do?" Nell sighed as she played with a lock of hair.

"That's where I come in." A voice piped in from behind them, seeing someone holding Hinimara's shorn-away mask. "What, Ichigo didn't explain the plan?"


	29. Two Trials

**Not much to say, autoimmune disease still sucks. I'm glad to say I'm feeling much better, so thank you all for the support and well-wishes I was given. They mean a great deal to me. I've been going over a lot of art recently, I guess it sort of gives me things to think about. I wanted to even commission a few very talented people to draw some items for me, it always makes me feel better seeing images in my head be given justice in art beyond storytelling. Yes, this could also be translated as "he be trollin the deviantarts" but who doesn't? Heh, it's still fun. It's still awesome knowing people like _Minako25_ and _Peachery_ actually DID draw some of my TBV (my story titled lazy-ified) characters. I still go all fanboy over that. Anyway, thank you all again for your supportive and constructve reviews, and I look forward to writing more of what has been weighing on me for so many years.**

**Also, woot for finding a donor to replace my obliterated internals... they've been especially tempermental recently. Nergal be praised!**

* * *

"So... this is Soul Society. I'm not impressed."

"Oh come on, it's not like we're here for sightseeing. That and you're _never_ impressed. I'm fairly certain that is in a league of 'unattainable stupid crap.' You know?" Noel gave her companion a sideways glance and smirked. Fade's scowl did not convey much emotion, aside from a lack of amusement. "You and Ichigo have way too much in common. You both have that 'I'm all big and bad, I'm gonna rip out your colon and make balloon animals,' mean glare."

"Are you finished?"

"No, are you ever going to let any of those bubbly happy-go-lucky memories actually give you a soul? You hold the crossed-arms record for Hueco Mundo." Fade just pushed past the other arrancar and slid down the side of the hill they were standing on. Noel followed, her griping reduced to self-aimed mumbling. Not until they reached the bottom did the raven-haired espada raise her voice again. "So I have my money on our side. You know what I mean? If those weak excuses for fodder they threw at us are what passes for captains then I have a bad vibe this whole 'invasion' is going to be boring."

"We have not engaged the best the Shinigami have to offer."

"God, I hope you're as right as you are an utter downer to be around. You think after hanging around Mr. Boohoo McAngstypants, the espada formerly known as Ulquiorra, I would be immune to the 'tough guy' act. It still makes me want to rip something apart, extrovert a little!"

"Are you finished?" Noel stopped in her tracks and glared with annoyance at the other. Fade didn't even turn to look, still walking calmly over the field towards the buildings in the distance.

"Well excuse me, but you are not exactly the pinnacle of entertainment material and I'm bored. I was promised a good fight, I got hero worship and a hike. I want to crush something."

"You will get your chance very soon."

"I better, don't want to have to resort to trying myself against you," Noel growled with a sneer, her fingers flexing as she started to take a tackle stance. She didn't have a moment to suck in breath as Fade simply turned her head and opened the only visible eye wide. The resulting spiritual focus drove into Noel like a planet had just been dropped onto her shoulders. Her bones creaked and the air was ripped from her lungs.

"Don't even think about it." Fade's voice was as calm as always, but even Noel knew just how serious the woman was. Like brushing dust from her jacket, Fade moved her attention away and Noel was released from the punishing grip of the spiritual aura.

"I was kidding, jeez. You don't have to get all dramatic."

"Then control yourself."

"Yes ma'am!" Noel saluted, but Fade still wasn't watching. Simply rolling her eyes, she trotted up to walk side by side with the other arrancar. "You aren't the least bit anxious?" Noel asked with a finally steady voice, even perhaps a hint of concern.

"The last notable fight I was in did not end well for me." Her understatement seemed unintentional, but Noel still chuckled at the thought.

"Yeah... you died. That had to have sucked."

"The act of my return brought us our memories back. You could say I'm more locked in the past to care about the future as much as you do. It is an... annoyance." Flicking a stray bang out of her face, Fade gave her former sister a wave of her hand before again focusing on the path ahead.

"Pfft. Me? All about the 'here-to-come.' The next battle, the next kill, the next ribcage I get to rip open. Why get bogged down in the past? It's done, past, over with, which all translate to-" throwing her head back Noel began to imitate an incredibly loud snore. "Have I made my point?"

"Unavoidably. But again, the point you only account when it serves your purposes, I died. Ichigo brought me back, at great expense to himself. It took almost an entire year for him to recover from my restoration. If I were to simply ignore the past, what would his sacrifice be worth?"

"Aw, now you had to go and get all sappy and sentimental. Augh... fine, you make a good argument. How about we agree to disagree?"

"Don't we always?" A rare smirk crossed the corner's of Fade's mouth. Noel winked at her then they both put eyes front and kept on. Though, the only took a few more steps when both stopped. Ahead, past the lines of buildings and short towers stood the immense walls. The Seireitei just beyond. "There it is, citadel of the shinigami. All that stands between us and them is a wall."

"So... absolutely nothing then?" Both espada set idle hands on the hilts of their prospective weapons. "Hard to believe we're finally at the eve of the battle we were practically made for. I can't wait to bathe this whole plane of existence in still-warm blood."

"Your ruthlessness still inspires."

"Yeah well Ichigo made it a point to bring me for this little picnic, the _only_ Mas even on this lttle mission. You think it was for my good looks and appealing personality?"

"No, those are the reasons he brought Harribel."

"Oh, so why am I here then if you have all the answers?"

"I have been debating the reasoning myself. Perhaps Ichigo sees your 'skills' as inspirational comic relief, but my thoughts are simply because he needed to fill a slot and the others were busy." Fade whirled and blocked just in time to stop Noel's fist. The impact forced the girl not only back, but deep into the soft ground. Her words dripped from her mouth with a venomous hiss.

"You crossed a line, you arrogant bitch." Throwing off her front hand, Noel lashed out with the other, smashing it into Fade's cheek. The blow spun her around, but also gave the momentum for a counterattack that sent Noel careening across the field.

"And you forget your place."

"You always have something smart to say! I've put up with your overbearing attitude for long enough!"

"This is not the time or place for sibling rivalry, Noel."

"Siblings? Not anymore we're not. But I'll be the better person here and say this, let's blow some steam. I need a good warm up and you pushed me far enough to want it," Noel said with a sneer as she dropped her gauntlets to the ground.

"Oh, an amicable stance. Just like old times perhaps?"

"You bet. You know the rules," Noel said with a grin as she drove her zanpakutou into the ground. She watched Fade do the same and stand ready.

"I know the rules." Both girls charged at once, their fists passing each other to be immediately deflected by the mirror off-hands. They launched into a dance of kicks, spins, and skilled blows that looked almost practiced in its precision.

A blow to the chest that allowed Noel to grab and counterattack her opponent was met by a sweeping kick that flipped her upside-down. The espada caught herself on the ground and kicked her own feet out like a windmill, driving a punishing heel into Fade's side. The other arrancar took the hit, driving a hard jab into her opponent's upside-down stomach that flipped her so hard she face-planted and nearly folded in half.

"Know the rules, huh?" Noel snarled as she spat out a mouthful of dirt. "I sensed you bleed spirit energy into that."

"Matching you, stop blocking with your iron skin."

"Touche." Cracking her neck for good measure Noel leapt forward headfirst towards Fade. The other espada drew her block up, but instead of taking the tackle she opted to punch straight at the other arrancar's forehead. The punch drove through Noel's hair as she moved her head aside and dragged her foot over the ground and took Fade's ankles out. A masterful spin and she put a full-bodied punch directly into the sternum of her horizontal rival.

Just as the blow struck she knew she'd put too much force into it, Fade's chest was moving faster than her legs and a punishing kick smashed against Noel's temple. Both fighters were spent spinning before rolling to their prospective stops on the ground. Both recoveries were flawless, the competitors flipping up to their feet and taking their stances again.

They were about to go again when they halted a moment, looking around to notice not only a crowd but people cheering. "Four on the black-haired one!"

"You're head's itchy, that one with the horn thing is so on top of her game!"

"I am so getting fired for ditching work for this... and I don't care."

"Go pretty lady!" Even children were amongst the spectators. Both Fade and Noel wore expressions of confusion, but ultimately they gave each other the same look. They were filthy, bloodied, and bruised. But no one could deny the looks of battle-lusted glee they bore. The warriors charged and again locked in their contest of skill.

The crowd had been only a few at first, but several spirits had run into town and shouted to the masses of a duel on the outskirts. The criers had brought people by the house-full. Men, women, children, everyone had come to revel in some rare and welcome entertainment, even if it were bloodsport. It was not the fight, not entirely, bu as mucht the show of impressive skill that appealed to the masses.

As the crowd increased the duel too grew more heated. Watching it was like watching a work of art, and in the back a tall figure smirked at the show. A brimmed hat hid much of the face in shadows, but the mouth was visible to show this much. After a few long minutes of continuous battle a victor was quickly rising.

Noel ducked under the first thoughtless punch and with a quick hand she grabbed Fade's shoulder and slammed her to the ground. Leaping on top of her opponent she gave the other espada no time to defend, driving her first down with brutal force. The crowd went quiet, the only sound that of panting. Noel stared down, not even noticing the drips of blood falling from her split lip or seeping nostril. She panted hard, finally letting a grin cross her mouth.

Fade looked to the fist that had dug into the ground not even an inch from her head, then back to Noel before grinning herself. " I concede." The other espada ripped her hand from the dirt and stood, reaching down to grab Fade's hand and pull her up.

"Good match," Noel said as she raised her open hand up. "I expected more cheating, but you proved hard enough plaing fair."

"I couldn't agree more," Fade said with a nod, grabbing the raised hand in her own and clasping firmly to give the gesture a frienly shake. "But you know you lost the first match."

"I can't help it if you are so damn good at getting under my skin. I win fights, not loaded arguments."

"I know how to push your buttons." The conversation was cut short as a roar of cheering sounded from the crowd. Fade and Noel both just stood and stared, not knowing how to respond to this. They had expected to be feared, or at the very least seen with contempt. These spirits had all but welcomed them from the start. Were they really so ignorant, or just complacent? Neither espada knew...

Nor given chance to debate further. A slow clap seemed to drown the cries and cheers of the crowd. Every strike of the palms released a wave of spirit aura, enough for the arrancar to tense up with each clap. They homed in on the source, and both glared at the origin of such a focused power. A tall figure with a hat and cane moved towards them slowly while clapping.

Within moments they were mere feet away, the former sisters still containing their spiritual presence, now driving it all the deeper within them. Had they been discovered? Impossible, they couldn't even sense one another above the bare minimum. Was it their mask fragments? Passable for simple decorations, and what remained of their uniforms were so filthy it was questionable what color they could even have been.

The figure reached up and took the green and white striped hat from its head and let a river of purple hair fall down. While Noel was simply simmering, Fade took this one crucial moment to sum this individual up. Woman, dark skin, tall, obvious spiritual presence, unique clothing especially considering the hat and cane... only one conclusion. A shinigami.

"Zanpakutou, matching uniforms... just who might the two of you be? A little young to be playing rough, hmm?" The woman chuckled to herself, yellow eyes belying the hardened spirit behind them despite such a mirthful expression.

"Just a sparring match, we had a... disagreement."

"What's it to you, shinigami?" Fade winced, she could imagine herself giving Noel a backhanded slap for such a thoughtless exclamation. She had practically just screamed they didn't belong.

"Using such methods to solve your issues, something I can certainly relate to."

"Yeah well..." Fade grabbed Noel's arm and stared into her eyes hard before she could finish her sentence.

"Remember what the boss said. We shouldn't be making trouble."

"But..."

"The boss was _very_ clear."

"Right," Noel sighed and pulled her arm back. She softened her expression, but it was obvious a battle still waged within her. "Sorry if I was rude. We'll just be moving along." She barely made it a step before the cane smacked into the ground, barring her path.

"Interesting apparel you both have."

"Trophies," Noel spat and stepped over the cane, not noticing the momentary look of surprise that crossed her partner's face. Fade was impressed at the speed her former sister had come up with a response that didn't involve a threat. "Just like these," she said proudly as she pulled the armored gauntlets back on from where she'd dropped them. It was the truth as well, the former bearer of the items had not parted with them willingly.

The woman turned and watched as Noel drew her zanpakutou and swung it down as if checking its weight. "I see." She replaced the hat on her head and tossed the cane up only to catch it with a swipe of her hand. "I wanted to say I enjoyed your demonstration, as did many others. Perhaps sometime I could see you both in true form, not holding back so much," she spoke these words with the faintest hints of a smirk.

"Perhaps..." Fade's glance was all that was needed to keep Noel silent.

"Alright everyone, on with your day!" The woman waved her hand as if to shoo the crowd off, and it worked as well. As the people dispersed, all discussing the events transpired with excitement while the three women stayed silent, remaining as the spirits emptied the fields. Their eyes spoke for them, and the intensity of the moment had no equal that day.

"So, you wanted to know about our choice in headgear then spill on yours. What's with the goofy hat?" The question brought a glare from Fade, but Noel didn't seem to mind as she shoved her blade back into her belt. The question hung in the air, the woman's face changing as if falling into a long-gone memory.

"Mementos, much like yours. Good day." She spun on her heels and marched off towards the town. But not before looking back as she walked and leaving the espada with one last comment. "We will meet again, I think."

The two arrancar stared hard, their face's expressionless. They gave one another a single glance before vanishing into thin air, leaving nothing but the signs of their match in the field.

* * *

"Enough!" All voices fell silent as the wooden staff slammed on the floor. "This is not a debate, this is a trial!" The silence was deafening after such an outburst, only broken by the clinking of metal chains.

Toshirou stood tall in a room he knew all too well. It had been so long, and yet not a thing had changed. The captain's meeting hall, here when he had served as a peer... not as a criminal. His wrist, ankles, and neck were all chained and his zanpakutou was set within a powerful barrier floating in the center for all to see. Only one glance told the stories of the missing captains.

Abarai and Hisagi lost to Hueco Mundo's defenders, Rukia at Ichigo's side... all too similar to his own tenure. Captains fighting one another, nothing ever changed. Not in a quarter century, not in a thousand years. "Hitsugaya Toshirou, former captain of the tenth division! You have been brought before the leaders of the Seireitei under charges of treason against all of Soul Society!" The Captain Commander's voice was as hard as his glare, but Toshirou stood strong still. He knew from the beginning this might happen, his hopes had had no purchase. So, he would face this with the honor he still had, and the pride he could still claim as his own. "What say you!"

"There is nothing I can say that will change the decision you have all already made. But I will have all of you know this; I never drew my sword in hostility against those I once fought beside, only in self-defense. I joined with Ichigo out of necessity for my continued wellbeing, worked with him on his crusade in that very name. That I am brought before you in chains and thrown to the wolves is testament to the cause your enemy fights for. I am not being tried before the judges of the Seireitei, but the captains; and that is but one of many admonishments I bring before you." He let the words sink in, taking the moment to glance over his trial.

Some captains seemed disinterested, others watching coldly. But there was one he felt the boring eyes dig deep into him without even having to look. Hinamori was behind him in her position as fifth captain, where her arm had once been a bandage that wrapped about her whole torso now in place. He knew Matsumoto watched also, but he dared not look. He had words that still needed said, and he did not need distraction. "I never had any desire to bring harm, but neither could I stand and allow myself to be cut down without the time to voice myself be given its due."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"I see no reason to waste more breath." Yamamoto's staff slammed against the floor again.

"So be it! Despite any intention or word, you have still been found guilty in aiding one of Soul Society's most dangerous and begrudged enemies! For this, you will be sentenced to the Senzaikyu." Toshirou's head fell slightly, his eyes closing as the weight of this hit him full force. "There you will contemplate the crimes you have committed. Your name will be given place beside Kurosaki's, and his blood will be spilled just as yours will. All of the Seireitei will witness your execution, and all record of the deeds you have been honored for will be stricken to oblivion." The staff struck down one last time. "Remove this traitor!"

Four men walked in and set tethers to the collar on Toshirou's neck. He turned and walked from the captain's hall for the last time. Not in honor, not in remembrance, but in chains. He looked up for only a moment to lock eyes with Momo. His expressionless face matched the ice of his spiritual aura, but even he could not hide the sorrow that stilled in his eyes. There was no anger in Toshirou's gaze, only sadness.

He was not given chance to see her face for but a moment as he was led out the doors. The walk to the great white tower was silent. The guards never spoke, there were no voices nor even a bird. All this gave Toshirou almost too much weight to delve into his own thoughts. He thought back to better days. Lunch with Momo and listening to her chatter the day away only to return and find Matsumoto snoring on his desk. He remembered battles side by side with those he would have laid his life down for.

In a way... he did. The day Zangetsu ran him through, the pain it speared through his body and soul as he pushed with all his might to force Ichigo back into the closing portal. The battle that had waged between them for days. The sands of Hueco Mundo had been whipped into such a storm in their wake. Truly the greatest fight for his life he had ever had, and here he marched to contemplate a death he had never dreamed of.

Perhaps he should have known this would be came to pass, maybe he had in the darkest corners of his mind. Even as a captain he had suspected change, paranoia seeping into the rigors of what had once been fueled by honor and duty. He had dismissed it, been too trusting. Soul Society was not what he had nearly died to protect... he had not saved that place. This was not the great plane of the spirits he knew and loved, so to Hitsugaya Toshirou... the greatest battle of his life had failed. His hopes for naught.

Even as the door to his cell closed the once regal warrior sat and stared from the window, a broken shell of his former glory. He heard the door open and close, but his eyes stayed fixed to the Sokyoku hill. The sun was already beginning to set on the last day before the anniversary. That fateful day...

"Toshirou." Her voice... it did him no favors, only cruelty. He turned to look at her, his face betraying no emotion. "You surprise me."

"Have you come to gloat, Hinamori?" His words carried more poison than he had intended.

"I thought you would have fought. Broken the chains and taken up Hyorinmaru to fight your way back out. No, you simply took it all and walked out like a scolded child." Her words were angry, given bite by the pain that she most definitely suffered from. "You spoke of self-defense and now you simply lay down and die?"

"I fought to defend what I believed... some battles are not waged with swords."

"What you believed? And yet you allied with monsters? Look what they did to me!" She placed her hand on the wounded shoulder. "That... _thing's_ sword did more than just take my arm! I can never be healed! Nothing can be done for this! You stood by them, you defended them! The same creatures that would kill and maim, and laugh as if that were the only sport they had!"

"You speak things I already know."

"Then answer me, Toshirou! I wanted to believe you were just hiding in wait to strike at Ichigo..."

"As you did?" Her face twisted in anger at his words.

"I thought when we gave you the chance you would take him down. Instead you simply read that damned book. We opened the doors to the betrayer's very throne room, and you did nothing."

"I was too busy fighting you off to worry about anything else."

"Do not turn my words against me. You know what I mean."

"Feh... still the spoiled girl. You believe everything you are spoon fed, and expect to know the intentions of others. You don't know me at all. Do not think for a moment you understand me well enough to judge."

"Oh?" Toshirou was a little impressed, she was controlling herself well. He had expected almost for certain she would have flown into a rage, not seethed as she did now. "Well look where you have landed yourself! You had every chance to redeem yourself, but now you just drown in your own self-pity. I knew you well enough, Toshirou... and you disgust me."

"It isn't easy... this being my last sight." His voice was calm, his words still hinting that sadness that flowed just beneath the surface. "I dreamed for years of coming home, of being welcomed as a returning hero. The years in the twilight realm were not easy, and I bear many scars... just as you do."

"Your words are hollow, just like your friends." Momo's words did nothing to faze him as he stood to look out the narrow window once more.

"The years I spent with Ichigo... many were as begrudged allies. I even tried myself against him a number of times. Over time though... things changed. We fought side by side, we watched over one another. I watched his pain fester within him, saw what we had done to him." Toshirou turned and stared at Momo, her anger momentarily replaced by a stony glare. "I came to one undeniable conclusion. Ichigo never betrayed us, but we did him."

"The same man who ravaged his own home town with a hollow army. He's twisted you, corrupted you to believe his delusions and lies. And to think I came here to give you closure."

"Fine way you went about it. The truth is so overwhelmed, at this point there is no reason for debate any more. There is simply what is believed by whomever an ideal belongs to. Justice to some is vengeance to others, and I have had my fill of argument. Say what you will, Hinamori. Deal your final wound." He sat back down, and for the first time Momo saw this man in a way she had never once considered. Toshirou was defeated. For all the anger she bore to this man, all the wrong she knew he had done, she could not help but remember that young boy glare at her as she wiped soup from his cheek.

Here he was, as a man, broken and beaten to the point he no longer cared for his own life. He defended her, himself, and the ideals he once upheld only to return to chains and death. His dreams were gone, and for a single moment she saw all hope drain from him. He turned to look at her, his stoic face belying the void behind it. She could not muster the words she wished she could lash out with.

Hinamori rose, a wince at the grief her shoulder gave before turning to the door. Two knocks and it was opened. She halted at the threshold, and gave Toshirou one last look. "Little Shiro..." Only his eyes regarded her at his hated nickname. "Goodbye." The door was closed, and Momo was left simply staring at the wood. She blinked, her vision becoming blurry.

What was this? She touched her eye and found it wet. She was crying? Why? Why would she cry for a man long since dead to her heart?

The questions grew, but the answers fled. Captain Hinamori steeled herself, but her heart still tore about in her chest. She had had her fill of the white tower, and did not even notice who it was she bumped into on her flight from it.

The guard regarded this newcomer a moment then nodded, opening the door to Toshirou's cell. The visitor waited for the door to be closed before taking a seat in front of the bars. "That could have gone better I think."

"Frankly I don't see how it could have gone any different. Have you come to heap your anger and contempt on top of Hinamori's, Rangiku?"

"No. I simply came to see you. Is that so bad?"

"I imagine not... I rather be left alone though."

"I don't believe that for a second." Time passed after those words, minutes and hours filled with conversation from simple banter to heated statements. It was not the accusation of foes, or the debate of ideals. It was simply talk between old friends.

Friends given time to reflect, and that is all it would ever be. Toshirou's meal was brought and Rangiku made it a point to bring it to him herself. His cell door was closed, and the captain who had taken his position needed only look outside to remind herself of the time. "It's late... I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer. You looked... lonely."

"Thank you, Rangiku. You've done enough already." She smiled and knocked twice. As the door was opened Toshirou had one more thing to say. "Rangiku?"

"Hmm?"

"What... what happened to Ukitake? I would have liked to see him again."

"He and others were transferred to Division Zero. They're the royal guards now."

"I see, so that's why... thank you."

"Of course." She nodded to him before stepped out the door. The last sounds was that of the latch, then the bolt. Hitsugaya looked out at the Seireitei and Sokyoku hill as night had fallen. He sat down, plate in his hand and sighed. It really was good to see it one last time. He took hold of the plate's edge and shifted his other hand underneath it, pulling the attached slip of paper from where it had been stuck.


End file.
